Her Protector
by D-Ranked Writer
Summary: Far from home and with no return in sight, Naruto finds himself befriending a short, thin girl with rounded glasses and a scar on her forehead. He soon discovers that there is far more to Harriett Potter and world he now finds himself in. Witches, Wizards, and Dark Lords exist and somehow Harriett involved in it all. As her friend, so was he.
1. Chapter 1

**I've never claimed to be good at writing, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless.**

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For as long as Harriett could remember, she was alone. Sure, she lived with her aunt Petunia and uncle Vernon, and their demon spawn of a son, Dudley, but they could hardly be considered a family. They sure didn't see her in that way and she was of a similar disposition. No, if anything the Dursleys treated her as little more than an unwanted pet at best, a downright slave on the other hand.

Perhaps her home life wouldn't be so intolerable if her social life, if it could be considered as such, wasn't so bad; non-existent, rather. Harriett had no friends to speak of. Dudley and his gaggle of gorillas saw no one ever spoke to her more than once, less they be bullied by mere association.

However, what baffled Harriett the most was the seeming ignorance of all those around. The neighbors, the school. They all knew she was the niece of the Dursleys, against their will of course, and yet they would never look twice when she arrived at school littered with bruises and in boys clothing three sizes too large for her.

Perhaps, Harriett thought, they simply didn't care.

"Harriett!"

She startled at both the shrill voice and the accompanying slam of her closet door. Harriett had been awake for some time now, pondering. For how long, there was no telling in the pitch black of her small space.

It must have been morning as neither her aunt nor uncle ever allowed her to sleep in. She was, after all, the unwilling cook of the family, when her aunt Petunia decided it so. And when she wasn't the cook, chores awaited her.

"Harriett are you up yet?" Petunia screeched.

If she wasn't before, she certainly would have been by then. It appeared as though it was going to be one of those mornings. An average day in her life, that is.

"I'm up!" Harriett responded loudly enough despite the dry of her throat. She knew better than to mumble. Her aunt particularly hated that habit of hers.

"We've got new neighbors and I'm baking my renowned lemon pie to greet them with! I need you to keep an eye on the oven!" Petunia continued to shout despite having established being awake. "I'll have your hide if it burns! I also need you to cook the bacon so you best hurry up and get out here!"

Her aunt's pie was hardly as good as she would like to believe, or Harriett would ever voice, much less renowned. However, what caught her attention was the mention of new additions to the neighborhood.

In the darkness of the closet, Harriett smiled.

Her aunt and uncle liked to retain a farce of a loving family to the outside world, which never truly lasted beyond the first few initial meetings. For however long they interacted with the new neighbors, she would be safe from their scorn. But not entirely so. Dudley was dense in both a physical and mental sense. He was ever the bully, no matter the situation.

Harriett quickly dressed herself, as she had little in the sense of a wardrobe, all stacked as neatly as she could in a pile near where she laid her feet.

She quickly exited her closet and was greeted with the sweet scent of lemon and mouthwatering bacon. It was too bad the scent of her Aunt Petunia's prized desert was all that was remotely pleasant, and she only ever got nominal and fatty pieces of bacon to accompany the small portion of eggs she was given.

Without further instruction, Harriett began on breakfast, only bacon as her aunt didn't trust her with the eggs. They burned quite easily. She learned that the hard way the one time she was tasked with cooking them. Harriett didn't eat anything but school served meals for a week after that.

"Don't forget the pie! It had better not burn now!" Petunia shouted as she set the table.

She had done so just as Harriett had finished closing the oven. The crust was visibly pale, indicating there was some time yet before it was done.

Groaning floorboards accompanied by thumping footsteps sounded from above, indicating both the male Dursleys had smelled the breakfast just as she had. It was a Saturday morning, so Vernon didn't have to work and school was not in session. They didn't wake on the weekends until the food was on the stove.

Vernon soon descended down the stairs first, with a yawning Dudley, still dressed in his sleepwear, following close behind. The stairs groaned louder than the floorboards upstairs and for once, Harriett was glad to have been called out from beneath the stairs early. Though she knew the stairs weren't likely to collapse on her despite their immense weight, she couldn't help but worry that they may one day do so, and she certainly didn't want to be inside if it ever did occur.

"Morning dear," Vernon grunted his greeting before offering his wife a whiskered kiss on the cheek.

Harriett received a glare as her morning tidings.

"When do you want to go meet the new neighbors?" Petunia asked as she poured her husband a cup of steaming coffee.

"Whenever you wish to, dear," Vernon stated with yet another grunt as he sat himself at the head of the table with the weekend paper in hand.

As the wood of the chair groaned rather audibly, Harriett found herself once more perplexed as to how such an unassuming chair could withstand the man's weight.

"Then we'll go shortly after breakfast," Petunia decided with a smile, "and once my pie is done."

Vernon smiled nervously and quietly cleared his throat at the mention of the desert, though Harriett suspected she was the only one to notice.

"Whatever you say, dear."

"I'm hungry!" Dudley whined from his own seat at the table. He had already devoured the orange juice his mother had set for him.

"Harriett!" Vernon bellowed despite her being in the very same room.

"Bacon's almost done," she meekly reported.

Harriett wondered if he realized she had no control over how long it took for the food to cook. He most likely did; just needed a reason to yell at her.

All things considered, breakfast was a relatively simple affair. Harriett was only able to eat her eggs as her Aunt Petunia had her checking the oven almost every half minute and the first time she left the table to do so, she returned to a plate devoid of bacon.

She didn't bother to ask for seconds as she was never given them.

Once the pie was done, Petunia ushered her husband and son off to dress themselves in their best. Harriett was given her only pair of clothes meant for a girl and not a tubby boy. A faded orange sundress she wore only on rare occasions for first impressions.

Soon, they were off to meet the new neighbors.

"The new neighbors live just three houses down, so we'll be walking," Petunia announced as she closed and locked the door behind her.

"But mum!" Dudley once again whined. "I don't want to walk!"

Harriett didn't mind but decided not to voice as much. It was a beautiful day in March with enough remnants of the cooler seasons to enjoy the mild wind on her bare shoulders, while also tousling her already unkempt hair.

"Cheer up son!" Vernon said as he patted Dudley's back. "I'll take you and your mother out to lunch when we get back!"

"Fine," the portly boy muttered.

Despite the gloomy response, Harriett could see Dudley's beady eyes light up at the mere mention of food. She already knew she wouldn't be joining them and they never allowed her to stay home alone. This had her nervously anticipating just which of their equally horrible friends she would be stuck with.

Harriett wasn't about to ask but she did take solace knowing Dudley's birthday was a few months away yet, so it wouldn't be Mrs. Figgs and her many, many cats. The woman herself was nice enough, but it was her numerous cats that she wasn't so fond of.

They always scratched her!

"You know," Petunia began as they trudged along at Vernon and Dudley's lumbering pace, "Beatrice said she saw the moving van yesterday but didn't get to see whom the new neighbors may be. Oh, but at least now we know we are getting new additions to the neighborhood. See, I told you so when they removed the sign!"

"Yes, yes, dear, you're quite right," Vernon agreed.

"I do wonder how they are," Petunia continued, apparently not noticing her husband's bored drawl. Or perhaps she was too excited to care. "Maybe they'll have children our Dudley's age? One can never have too many friends I always say. Oh, looks like we're here!"

Harriett studied the home. It was almost exactly like the Dursleys in appearance, a two-story brick home with both a large and a small window for every level. Then again, most homes on Privet Dr were similar in design.

The only differences Harriett could discern at first glance was the white home number painted on the mailbox displaying the number ten. That and their door was a bland white instead of mahogany. Vernon was quite proud of that purchase.

"You had better behave now, Harriett!" Petunia said, startling her.

"I will," Harriett said, though she was certain Dudley would not. He never did.

Vernon was the one to knock. As his fat hand rapped at the door, Harriett always wondered just why the man chose to knock so hard and excessively, almost resembling the urgency he would at times display when in a rush to use the restroom of their own home.

The door abruptly swung open.

"What?"

Harriett stared at the boy at the door. He seemed to be around Dudley's age, maybe a year or two older. His hair was unkempt, long, and a brilliant shade of blond while his eyes were narrowed and blue. She was drawn to his eyes in a way she couldn't quite comprehend.

Now Harriett had seen plenty of people with blue eyes before; Dudley had blue eyes. The boy before her, his eyes were glacial and they almost seemed to glow in the light of the sun. That, however, was not the only characteristic which caught her attention.

He had whiskers.

Or what appeared to be whiskers. Harriett narrowed her own eyes behind the scratchy round lenses of her glasses. Upon closer inspection, they were birth marks. Or scars, she wasn't quite sure which. There were three on each of his cheeks, mirrored identically, as though they were meant to be there.

"What do you want?"

His rather pointed question made Harriett look up to meet his eyes and immediately felt herself fluster. He was staring right back at her with the same disinterested, yet somehow annoyed expression he had greeted them with.

She was caught staring!

Harriett tried to make herself as small as she possibly could, taking a few shy steps backwards whilst Vernon fumbled with his words, his face quickly growing red. He was obviously none too happy to be spoken to in such a manner.

"E-Excuse me, dear, but are your parents home?" Aunt Petunia finally managed to ask.

The boy seemed to grow more annoyed.

"No, my parents – "

"Naruto, who's at the door?"

The voice was that of a man's, deep and coming from somewhere within the home. The boy rolled his eyes and turned his back to them.

"I don't know!" The boy, whose name had to be Naruto, shouted back.

"Na-ru-to?" Vernon struggled to repeat the boy's name to himself.

Harriett herself was having trouble pronouncing it within the confines of her mind. Despite this she did find the name unique and interesting. She'd certainly never heard anything like it before.

"What do you mean you don't know? You're at the door, aren't you?" The voice, now sounding closer and even deeper yet, questioned.

"Yeah, I am, but that doesn't mean I know who they are, old man!" The boy continued to shout.

"Oh my," Petunia muttered to herself, clearly disturbed by the interaction.

"Who are you calling old, you damned brat?!"

"Who else has white hair?"

"I've told you before, it's natural!"

"So you say," the boy said lowly and with arms crossed.

"I heard that!" The man shouted.

"You were supposed to!"

Harriett could no longer contain the giggle that she was so desperately trying to hold in.

Initially, she believed the blond boy was in a similar situation as she. The man's words certainly sounded harsh, however it soon became apparent that he gave as good as he got in terms of insults and soon a shouting match erupted between the boy and the unknown man in which they fired off insults at one another.

That was, of course, until her aforementioned giggles brought the boy's attention back to them. Her specifically. Harriett reddened at the slight smile he offered her and once again, she averted her gaze downward. Idly, she could feel the twin glares from the Dursleys.

"Well, who is it?"

Finally, the owner of the voice appeared at the door. For a second time, the Dursleys and Harriett were stunned at the sight before them. Towering behind the boy was a man with long and wild snow-white hair, as the boy had said, brown eyes shining with mirth, and an accompanying grin on his face.

Despite the previous interactions between the boy and the man, Harriett somehow knew the man was kind. Perhaps it was the way he placed a hand on the blond boy's shoulder, or the grin turned smile as their eyes locked; the corners of his eyes creasing briefly before his attention returned to the adult Dursleys.

"Neighbors?" He inquired.

"Y-Yes," once again, Petunia was the first to answer, with the slightest red to her cheeks. "We came to welcome you to the neighborhood."

"Well isn't that something?" The man patted the boy's shoulder, motioning him aside. "Well come on in then. I'm Jiraiya, by the way, and this is Naruto."

"Ji-rai-ya?" Vernon struggled with pronouncing the tall man's name as well.

Once inside, Harriett's curious nature had her looking about. Their home was also alike the Dursley's in general layout, as she had suspected. A small kitchen could be seen from the slightly larger living space they were currently standing in. They owned regular living room furniture, a bland beige sofa and recliner set. Nothing of note there.

What did strike her as odd was the lack of any real decorations. The Dursley's home was decorated with various pictures of the family, excluding herself, and even more portraits of Dudley, displaying his transformation from a small red piglet, into the large buffoon he was to date. Alongside the many pictures were knickknacks pertaining to both Vernon and Petunia's respective interests.

This home had none of that. There were no pictures on the walls, personal or decorative. No flowers or frilly doilies. Thinking on it now, Harriett couldn't recall seeing a doormat.

There was nothing to ornate the home at all.

"I'm Petunia Dursleyy," Petunia introduced herself first with an overly large smile. "And this is my husband, Vernon, our son Dudley. Oh, and that's Harriett."

Her smile seemed to abandon her at the mention of Harriett, who was still consumed with the household's seeming lack of personality to really notice.

They were new to the neighborhood, after all. Perhaps they were still in the process of moving in?

"It's nice to meet you all, isn't it, Naruto?" Jiraiya said, lightly elbowing the boy who once again appeared disinterested.

"Sure," Naruto said, crossing his arms. "Well I'm going out for a walk. Getting a lay of the land and all that."

That was an excuse if Harriett ever heard one. Though she couldn't necessarily blame him. Dudley was already wondering about the home, even going as far as to look into cabinets. She certainly cherished the moments spent away from the Dursleys, as few as they were.

"Whatever," Jiraiya said dismissively. "Why don't you join me in the kitchen for some tea? We can even try out that delicious smelling pie!"

The adult Dursleys seemed pleased at the idea, Petunia more so. She took that moment to proudly present her pie to Jiraiya.

"Mom, can I go with the weird kid?" Dudley whined, already bored once he discovered there were no toys or food in sight.

Not even Dudley, who could eat just about anything, was fond of his mother's pie. Harriett thought that alone spoke volumes.

"Dudley," Petunia chastised without any real effort.

"Only if you behave," Vernon added with a smile and a chortle, his words also lacking any real stern undertones.

"Whatever!" Dudley huffed.

"Weird?" Naruto repeated to himself with narrowed eyes.

He didn't seem too pleased with the idea or the name and appeared ready to protest when a single scathing look from Jiraiya silenced him. A look which quickly returned pleasant as he smiled down to Harriett in the same kind manner as before.

"Why doesn't your daughter go along too?" He suggested. "It'll give us a moment to become fully acquainted."

"Oh, that won't be necessary," Vernon laughed the suggestion off. "She'll behave herself here. Won't you, Harriett?" His light-hearted tone quickly became stern as he cast her a warning glare.

From the corner of her eyes, Harriett saw the two neighbors share a confused glance.

"I want her to come along," Naruto said, turning his attention to her.

His words surprised Harriett. She couldn't help but stare back at him, wide eyed. There weren't many girls in the neighborhood and the boys never wanted to play with her, and that was before they met Dudley.

In the presence of the new neighbors, the Dursleys shared a look of reluctance before relenting.

"Very well," Petunia appeared to have tasted her own pie. "Behave yourself now, Harriett."

There was a none too subtle warning in her words.

"Y-Yes!" Harriett, whom was still thoroughly flabbergasted, nodded along with her agreement.

Anything to distance herself from Vernon and Petunia. It was too bad she couldn't escape Dudley.

"Let's go then," Naruto muttered.

Harriett followed behind the two boys meekly as Dudley prodded Naruto for answers about what toys he owned. She wasn't surprised to see he wasn't showing any restraint. He was a bully through and through, but Naruto was taller than him by at least a head and his overall stern expression didn't reference to someone who would be pushed around.

Harriett found herself blushing once more as she realized she had been staring at him again. He was wearing a simple white T-shirt along with pair of blue pants. His name was odd but the way he dressed and the English he spoke had her believing Naruto may have been American.

She had watched a few movies from America at school, mostly animated, but his accent did sound almost identical to the ones she'd heard. The older man's as well, now that she thought about it. Their names on the other hand, they sounded foreign beyond what she expected of the states.

Naruto and Jiraya. How odd, Harriett thought.

As they continued to walk Dudley seemed to grow impatient at Naruto's lack of any real response beyond prompt, "No's". Though he didn't seem too keen on pressing his luck against the taller boy.

That did not bode well for her, Harriett quickly realized when he turned his vile attention to her.

"Wanna see something funny?" Dudley asked mischievously.

Naruto offered nothing more than what sounded like a grunt and half of his attention.

"Look at her shoes!"

Harriett felt her heart drop and her face heat up when Dudley turned and pointed down at her shoes. Her aunt had purchased her current dress at a home sell, but her shoes were an old pair of Dudley's. They were torn, dirty, and had laces much too long. Dudley pointed out their quality and laughed.

"Gotcha!"

Grabbing her nose, Harriett winced in pain at the harsh flick she had received from Dudley's fat sausage finger.

"Hey!"

The intensity of Naruto's shout startled Harriett. She watched with eyes wide as he shoved Dudley to the ground, his bouncing fat cheeks quickly turning red and his beady blues widening in fear.

"You think that's funny?" Naruto continued angrily.

The sheer fury in which he spoke frightened even Harriett herself, and she was not the attention of his anger. Dudley, still on his butt, began to back-peddle with all the grace of an inebriated crustacean until he reached the curb. The slight variation in the height between the curb and the road had him rolling onto the street, his shirt riding up to reveal his round belly.

"I-I'm telling my parents on you!"

Harriett had never witnessed Dudley so shaken. Or run so fast.

"Yeah go and cry to your mom ya fat oaf!" Naruto shouted after him.

She flinched slightly when he turned his attention to her. Harriett remained rooted in place, still affected by the sudden violent display and the frightening look on his face.

Naruto blinked a few times before his expression softened.

"Are you okay?" He asked just as softly.

"Y-Yes!" Harriett almost shouted.

Naruto sighed and began scratching at the back of his head, further displacing his already untamed mane. Harriett flinched again and closed her eyes when he reached his hand outward, only to open them when she felt a warm hand ruffle her own hair softly.

He was smiling at her.

"You're a good kid," suddenly, he sounded so much older than he appeared. His tone of voice had even dropped an octave. "I can tell. If he ever gives you trouble again, you'll tell me, yeah?"

In that moment, Harriett realized something. He had stood up for her and protected her. No one had ever done that before.

"Hey," Naruto tapped her red nose softly. "Don't overthink it too much. Now come on, why don't you show me around?"

"Y-Yes!" Harriett had never flustered so much in so little time! He had protected her and she had yet to say more than a single word to him. She really wasn't sure what to say other than to introduce herself. "I'm H-Harriett, by the way. Harriett Potter."

"Uzumaki Naruto," he too reintroduced himself. He paused for a moment, as if considering something. "My first name is Naruto. That's just how I introduce myself."

Harriett nodded in some understanding, though she was feeling even more confused as to where he could possibly be from.

"Wait," Naruto began, eyes narrowed inquisitively. "Potter? I thought your parents said their last name was Dursley?"

Harriett looked down. Would he make fun of her for being an orphan? Many of the children at their school did when Dudley revealed as much.

"My parents died in a car crash when I was young. I don't really remember them," she admitted with eyes downcast. "Aunt Petunia is my mother's sister. I've been living with them ever since I can remember."

"Hey," the soft of his voice had her looking back up to him. "I know this probably won't make you feel better but, well I'm an orphan too."

"Really?" Harriett asked, astonished. "But that man," she trailed off.

"That old goat's my Godfather," Naruto finished with a smile. "I mean, do I really look as ugly as he does?"

Harriett giggled at his description of the man from before, as well as in recollection of their rather humorous interactions. Her was sadness was momentarily set aside and in it's place embarrassment at his latter question.

She didn't think so.

"Ya'know," Naruto began with a different smile in his eyes, "I knew there was no way you could be related to those people."

When he didn't continue, Harriett did.

"Why do you say that?" She asked.

"Because you're way too cute to be their daughter, or that idiot's sister."

Harriett burned.

"Y-You're teasing me!" She accused, secretly hoping he wasn't. That would be another first, someone calling her cute, that is. At least from someone close to her age. She was occasionally complimented by elder people dressed in odd clothing.

Naruto continued smiling, though she noticed it wasn't one of mock or malice. She knew those all too well, unfortunately.

"I am, but in a friendly way," he admitted.

"Friendly?" Harriett questioned timidly.

"Yeah," Naruto said as if it was nothing, and maybe to him it wasn't. But to Harriett it was a cruel promise depending on his answer. "So, Harriett, wanna be my friend?"

"Y-Yes!"

She had done it again. Harriett no longer bothered fighting back her blush as she heard him laugh again. Though she somehow knew he wasn't laughing at her. At least not in the way she was accustomed to. In fact, he almost sounded happy, a sure contrast to his earlier behavior.

In that moment, as Naruto tousled her hair, she smiled because she was happy too. Incredibly so. For the first time in her life, Harriett Potter had a friend.

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 **Hoped you guys enjoyed the chapter. Just so you all know, I haven't read the entirety of the Harry Potter books. Only the first book. I've got the entire series on audible. I intend on writing as I listen. I feel that way Naruto won't have author's insight or whatever.**

 **Oh, and the pairing are in the tags.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Really sorry for the wait. AN at the bottom.**

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Harriett was once again locked away in her room beneath the stairs, hunger pains twisting in her belly, but unlike previous instances, she was not sad. Quite the opposite, in fact. She couldn't stop smiling as she thought about the events of the day prior.

After her new friend had run Dudley off, they began wondering aimlessly around the neighborhood. They lived in a suburb a few miles away from the nearest shopping center or park, so there wasn't much Harriett could actually show him. She was, however, happy to indulge in his request to get to know her better.

She found the format in which he chose to do so rather peculiar. Naruto had asked her what she liked, disliked, and any dreams for the future she may have had.

Harriett had immediately voiced her disdain for the Dursley's and just as quickly regretted doing so. She truly did dislike them, perhaps not as much as they did, she, but she wasn't certain if telling Naruto about her home life would be a good idea. This was mainly because she was unsure of how he would react.

Naruto had prodded her for answers and in her desperation to keep her new, and only, friend, she ultimately told him everything. From the name calling, Dudley's abuse, and her living situation within a room beneath the stairs meant for storage.

Harriett never intended on going so deep into her woes. However, once she began her emotions snowballed out of control and before she knew it; it was all laid out in the open.

Naruto's face lost all expression as she poured out her frustrations, though Harriett couldn't help but notice the way his fists were balled at his sides. His hands clenched so hard she could hear his fingers pop and witnessed as his knuckles lost their color.

Contrary to his scarcely restrained reaction, Naruto only listened and nodded to her words. When she was done, he said he would talk to his Godfather about it before moving along the conversation to much lighter topics.

Well, he tried, anyway.

Harriett didn't have much to offer when it came to what she liked. Of course, she had many interests, but they were things she would have liked to do or own rather than any actual positive aspects of her life. Ultimately, she decided to keep such thoughts to herself. She had already revealed to him much more than she rightly should have.

In the end Harriett told him that she liked to read. It was one of the few things the Dursley's would allow her to do so long as the books were from the school library and they didn't have to buy anything for her. It had the added benefit of keeping her quiet and out of the way when she wasn't needed. And it wasn't as if Dudley ever read, so beyond his typical bullying, she didn't have to worry about him taking her school issued books.

Naruto had mentioned his Godfather was something of an author himself, but immediately seemed regretful in doing so. He made her promise him she would never, under any circumstance, ever read any book she may encounter around their home. Or any his Godfather may offer her. He didn't go into any details as to why and Harriett didn't want to press her new friendship, so she easily agreed to heed his warning.

As for her dreams for the future; Harriett wanted a family. A real family. It was all she ever wanted.

Naruto had smiled at her. A smile Harriett was quickly taking a liking to. It was warm, bright, and it filled her with a sense of happiness knowing it was real, and that it was for her. Though she wished he wouldn't tease her so much! It wasn't by any means malicious, but he made her fluster with his response.

Saying a cute girl like her would one day grow into a beautiful woman capable of wooing anyone.

As if!

Boys were dumb, except for Naruto, and icky too. Except for Naruto. Harriett had no interest in them at the moment, despite having a vague idea of how families were made. She just wanted a place where she could belong.

Perhaps, Harriett thought, she had found that place now. Or at least a semblance of what she desired. She knew she was likely getting ahead of herself, but her situation didn't seem as grim with Naruto around.

He wasn't afraid of Dudley, or even her Aunt or Uncle, whom shouted at him upon their return. Harriett was surprised to find they weren't so frightening as she stood behind Naruto's unflinching form.

It was also a welcomed surprise to see an adult stand up for her as well. Vernon had been shouting at Naruto, threatening to take a belt to him until Jiraiya placed himself in front of the two and suddenly their differences in height became glaringly apparent. He was much taller than her uncle and much like his godson, Jiraiya made a scary face.

That was before Naruto offered him a small insight into how she was being treated. Harriett was almost certain a fight would have broken out between the two men had her aunt not intervened, begging her husband to calm down so they could leave.

On their way out Jiraiya had threatened to call on the authorities if they saw one hair on her head out of place on Monday. Fortunately, neither her Aunt nor her Uncle ever hit her beyond the occasional spankings when she was younger. They were quite content with allowing Dudley to do so under the guise of childhood rough housing.

She did receive an earful upon their return home. Harriett had to endure what felt like hours of shouts and threats of punishments to come until Vernon wore himself out and Petunia shouted herself hoarse. She had been locked in the cubbard since the day before, sent in without lunch or dinner. Despite this, she couldn't help but hang on one detail Naruto had revealed to her.

He would be going to school with her!

For what little of the term remained. Harriett was anticipating speaking to her new friend the following Monday at school. It was the only time she would be able to freely speak with him, she suspected. The Dursleys had strictly forbade her from seeing him. But that was at home. Even they couldn't control what she did at school.

Harriett idly flicked away what had to have been a spider crawling along her arm as she thought of the boy, wondering just what he was doing in that moment.

* * *

Naruto was laying in his new bed, in his new room, with his fingers interlaced behind his head. He was staring at the white ceiling above, his eyes lazily trailing the messy brush strokes which created a white streaked and dotted landscape, his mind conjuring up non-existing images and patterns.

The open window to his right allowed in the occasional pleasant breeze, along with the distant sounds of traffic, the happy chitter chatter of birds, and the occasional indistinct voice of the odd passerby. The early morning sun illuminated his room through the blind-less window, accentuating its vacancy in a soothing orange glow.

He was relaxed, but his mind was far from at ease. Try as he might, Naruto couldn't keep his thoughts from straying to the memory of his apartment's own ceiling, back in a world that seemed so far away now, and the images he would conjure from it.

There were a couple of swirls, a misshapen flower, and even a cat, or a dog, depending on how hard he squinted. There was even a water stain from a leak which somehow formed a perfect circle. A circle with two large clumps of dried paint lined up near perfectly to make a pair of eyes. There was also an indentation from when he would play ball with himself that served as a nose, and a paint streak which gave the face a little crooked grin.

He turned his head to the right, staring at the empty spot where his nightstand would have been. Atop the rickety old piece of furniture was a single picture of what was once the happiest day of his life. Now a dour and distant memory, deluded by time and a rapidly changing mindset.

The picture was of his team, the image forever encapsulating the state of Team Seven.

He was glaring at Sasuke, who seemed annoyed to share a space with them. But that was just the type of person he was, perpetually angry and with a high sense of self-worth. No matter how many times Naruto tried to befriend him, scorn was all he was given in return. It was a fruitless endeavor, he would later lament.

Sakura was standing between them all, happy as could be, obviously glad to be on the same team as her enamored. Seemingly oblivious to the amount of negativity surrounding her.

Finally, there was their sensei, Kakashi, who appeared to be sheepish and at a loss as he palmed both of his and Sasuke's heads. An attitude he would maintain throughout their short time together. The man was hardly what Naruto would consider a teacher.

Naruto chose not to focus on the negative aspects of team seven, and there were many. He'd done so already, over and over again. Instead, he chose to think about one of the reasons he tolerated Sasuke's animosity and Kakashi's indifference; the only girl on the team.

Thinking about his teammate with pink hair, beautiful jade green eyes, and a larger than normal forehead, only saddened him. Naruto missed Sakura above all else, even though he realized she would have likely never returned his affection.

Now, all he wanted to do was just see her one more time.

As optimistic as he liked to believe he was, life had turned him into something of a realist. Jiraiya called it pessimism, but Naruto didn't know of any other way to view the world. Being so far from his own did little to help.

Naruto released a ragged breath as he recalled the series of events leading to their departure from the Elemental Nations.

For as far back as his memory allowed, he was ostracized and alone. Life as an orphan had not been easy, but that much was to be expected of anyone unfortunate enough to enter the world without family. His situation, however, was worsened by the very people that were supposed to protect him in place of his parents.

Konohagakure's orphanage was primarily staffed by women of faith and yet, they always seemed to forget their beliefs when in regards to him. They would often yell at him for the smallest of transgressions. This ranged from his inability to learn at the same rate as the other children, to something as insignificant as simply laughing for what they perceived to be too loud. Or laughing at all.

Their punishment for breaking any of their spontaneous rules varied. Most times they would spank him for far longer than they rightly should a misbehaving child, and with much more force yet. He could only be so lucky. Those who truly despised him aimed for the face and not always did they use their hands. When they were feeling particularly horrid, they would starve him for days in correlation with their capital punishment.

Naruto still cringed at the memories of their abuse. Yet, as painful as their punishments were, the isolation was somehow worse.

The caretakers would also keep him from playing with the other children, and likewise, they would greatly discourage or punish any of the other children for so much as speaking to him. On the other hand, his being bullied was undeterred and, at times, encouraged.

His living nightmare at the orphanage continued until he was seven years old, at which point the head Matron decided to literally throw him out into the cold and muddy streets late in the month of a particularly frigid November for Fire Country. Naruto never discovered exactly what it was that he did, or rather, did not do to cause the woman to throw a child out into the streets.

To date, Naruto could only speculate that it had to do with the beast he had sealed into him at birth. A truth he would not discover until much later in life.

Following his abrupt eviction, he was left to wonder the streets, surviving off of the scraps of others, rarely did he ever find kindness. That was until he had wondered into the trash of a delicious smelling food stand with large white flaps.

The Ichiraku's had always been kind to him. Ichiraku Teuchi and his beautiful daughter, Ayame; she was the one to find him. She had been taking out the garbage when she discovered him scouring through theirs in search of anything edible. Instead of running him off, as many others tended to do, the girl immediately ushered him inside.

They fed him, offering him a pleasant night's sleep in a warm bed, after an even warmer shower, and his first ever encounter with human decency. They had taken him to meet the Hokage the very next day, once he told them how he had found himself out in the street, alone and afraid.

The number of people Naruto loved were few, so little they could be counted on a single hand. The small family of two would forever have a special place in his heart.

Naruto's memories of the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, on the other hand, were bitter-sweet.

The old man had greeted him with a warmth and kindness he didn't believe possible until the very recent meeting with the Ichiraku's. After taking the day to make his acquaintance, the Sandaime arranged for him a single bedroom apartment with a weekly allowance. He enrolled him into the academy shortly after.

The Sandaime, or old man, as he had affectionately taken to calling him, was the one who had gifted him the orange tracksuit he wore for far longer than he rightly should have, along with the goggles now in Konohamaru's possession. He would even take him out to eat once a year on his birthday, where he would gift him other small things.

He still had Gamma-chan, his toad wallet from his tenth birthday.

Unfortunately, for as kind as the Sandaime Hokage proved to be, he had also lied to him for the time that he knew him, up until his unfortunate and untimely death.

Naruto recalled his feeling particularly lonely on the days leading up to his birthdays. Not only would the villager's aggression ramp up in the month of October, but he was reminded of what he never forgot. He had no family.

Or so he believed at the time.

This feeling would persist, even in the old man's company. The Sandaime would take him to a place of his choosing, within reason of course, and Naruto would always choose to go to the park before their day ended with a trip to the Ichiraku's food stand. It was only in the Hokage's presence that he was allowed to play undeterred.

But as he grew, he did little playing. Naruto would often sit and watch as other children played and laughed happily along with their loved ones. Watching with envy as fathers pushed their daughters on the swings and mothers comforted their sons when they fell, kissing away their pain.

It was in those moments Naruto would fruitlessly ask the old man if he knew whom his parents were, and if they loved him. He figured if anyone knew about his parents, it would be the Hokage.

His answers were always the same. That he did not know who his parents were. That he was merely discovered alone the night the Kyuubi attacked, likely left orphaned by the beast as many had been on that fateful night. Though the old man always seemed certain that whomever they were, they must have surely loved him.

It was better than being the unwanted bastard son of a disgraced shinobi and a common street whore, as he was accustomed to hearing from just about everyone else he'd asked. At the time, Naruto believed the old man's lie more because he wanted to. He couldn't stomach the thought that his parents would simply abandon him.

Naruto felt a conflicting sense of relief once he discovered that was not the case. Finally, the Sandaime revealed to him the truth. Unfortunately, it was in death, and in the form of a letter to be given to him upon his unexpected passing. His original intention was to reveal the truth behind his origins when he turned sixteen, or when he thought he was ready.

Naruto resented that notion.

Naruto knew of the Kyuubi, revealed to him by the traitorous Mizuki. An arguably more dangerous secret he was able to keep; and yet another lie of the Sandaime's. When asked not only why he was alone, but why he was seemingly despised by a majority of the village's populace; his response was yet again ignorance.

The truth of the matter was that the people of Konohagakure hated him because twelve years prior, the Kyuubi somehow escaped his mother, most likely due to the stress of giving birth. His father then sealed it into the only person he could trust; his own son, at the cost of his life.

He was not the son of a disgraced Shinobi, but rather the esteemed Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato. His hero from childhood and one of his main inspirations for wanting to become Hokage himself. Everyone loved his father, not knowing they were spiting his very son.

According to the Sandaime, his mother was a beautiful and powerful kunoichi, Uzumaki Kushina. One of the few survivors of a once great clan, the Uzumaki, and the previous host for the Kyuubi. He shared more with his mother than just her name.

He was the son of the revered Fourth Hokage, with a powerful bloodline coursing through him, inherited from his mother. He was meant for greatness, the Sandaime Hokage claimed as much in his letter. In that same letter he asked for his forgiveness for failing in allowing him to realize that greatness.

It was hard for him to deny the old man his forgiveness. For all his lies, all of his misgivings, he was one of the few people who treated him with true kindness. Naruto was angry at the Sandaime Hokage, but he would always love and miss Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Regrettably, he wasn't even able to attend his funeral. Though he was still very much angry with the old man at the time, he wanted to offer his final respects and goodbyes to the man who was very much like a Grandfather to him.

Following the Sandaime's death as a result of the failed invasion by Orochimaru, Jiraiya had practically kidnapped him from the village, taking him in search of a replacement Hokage. One that wasn't a war-hawk like Shimura Danzo.

He never met the man but Jiraiya had and warned about his dangerous ambitions of securing Konoha's position as the world's foremost superpower through war and conquest. The man was likely to exploit his position as Hokage to force him into servitude.

Naruto, having been lied to and effectively controlled his entire life, had no intention of being made a living weapon. He would protect his village with his life, but not at the sake of his freedom. He would no longer allow others to dictate his life.

At the time, Jiraiya was not aware of his newly acquired knowledge of his parents, which included the fact that he knew they had chosen him to be his Godfather. Asuma, the very Sandaime's son, had been the one to deliver the letter whilst he was still recovering from his fight with Gaara, his fellow human sacrifice.

Naruto was waiting to see if the man owned up to his failed responsibility.

He did not, at least not when it counted.

Learning one of his father's most famous and powerful techniques was all that had Naruto holding back the bitter words resting impatiently on the tip of his tongue. That, and he had another secret to keep from the man. While Jiraiya taught him the Rasengan during the day, he studied the art of sealing by night.

Along with the truth, the old man had left him a box containing some of his parent's possessions. Among it a book of seals. An unfinished and quite possibly, unintentional gift from his mother. A work in progress never to be finished, a journal of sorts filled with seals and even some of her own techniques. As evident by the notes she scribbled throughout the pages mentioning his name, his mother fully intended on being there with him throughout his life. Teaching him the ways of her family, his family, and their secret methods.

Unfortunately, life had other intentions for him.

Naruto had barely managed to purchase a beginner's guide to seal making before their sudden departure. Seals required their own unique set of skills. To begin, he needed to learn certain calligraphy methods, along with the pseudo alphabet pertaining seals. Many of his mother's instructions assumed basic knowledge, of which he did not have.

He took to it far better than he ever expected. Naruto was somewhat ashamed to admit that academics were never truly his strong suit. He may have failed the Genin test three years in a row because of his inability to create a clone, but it wasn't as if his academic scores did him any favors.

Yet, somehow learning the alphabet required to create seals was easy. His mother's instructions, while a bit messy and unclear at times, were also easy enough to follow.

In the single week they spent traveling, looking for one Senju Tsunade, the other third of the three Sages, Naruto had learned basic comprehension of seal making. At which point he was able to craft basic storage seals and explosives.

He avoided delving too far into the explosives aspect as to not draw Jiraiya's unwanted attention. Storage seals on the other hand, was a skill which Naruto found particularly useful when he began discovering his money was going missing from Gamma-chan with increasing frequency.

The culprit was easily revealed. Jiraiya was silently angry at him, as apparent by his grumpy demeanor in the days following his creation of the storage seal within the lining of his tracksuit. He would often grumble to himself as they departed the small villages they would stay in, going on about selfish brats and expensive women.

Naruto's knowledge in seals also aided him in his most ambitious project yet. The other, more terrifying, half of his father's legacy.

The Flying Thunder God technique.

While not necessarily the name he would have chosen, the technique earned his father the moniker of the Yellow Flash. Coined after the brief flashes of yellow the enemy would see before they met their demise. The very same technique which helped turn the tides of the Third Shinobi World War.

Naruto had, in his possession, a tri-pronged kunai. It wasn't just any throwing blade, however; it was one of his father's teleportation markers. The teleportation seal appeared simple enough on the surface, four simple seals drawn vertically on the handle, easily replicated.

Yet, it was only half of the equation.

His mother had helped his father master the technique created by the great Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama. She had proudly stated so in her book, alongside the knowledge of the other half of the seal which needed to be applied to one's hand in order to achieve the actual act of teleportation. Unfortunately, his mother did not seem to have the foresight to actually write the seal down. Naruto was sure she had her reasons, but otherwise there was no further hints as to what the corresponding seal was.

Naruto was often tempted to ask Jiraiya for help, as the man was something of an expert on seals. Or so he claimed. He did manage to break whatever disruptive seal Orochimaru had placed on him during the exams; however, Naruto suspected his godfather wouldn't allow him to continue studying his father's technique. As complex and useful as seals could be, his mother warned of their many dangers in her book.

Despite this, Naruto persisted. Seeing as how Jiraiya refused to tell him the truth on his own, he only saw it fair to keep his own secrets.

He should have known better.

Their trip was semi-successful. Convincing Tsunade to return to the village had not been easy. The woman was quite stubborn. Going as far as to disrespect the old man and what he stood for as the village's leader. In that same breath, she trotted all over his own waning dream.

While Naruto was still sore from the Sandaime's deception, he was not willing to allow her to disrespect his memory. They had argued, escalating to an actual fight, before a single flick from her index finger sent him sailing. He retaliated with an imperfect form of the Rasengan.

Tsunade preceded to crater the earth beneath him, throwing his technique off trajectory, dissipating harmlessly into the earth.

It was then Naruto learned that the woman was known for more than her title as the Slug Sage, and her beauty. His Godfather had described her in a more perverted light, somehow failing to mention her overwhelming strength above the size of her bust.

Jiraiya had intervened before they could further fight. Not that there was much he could do against a Sage, but he wasn't known for thinking things out in those days.

Tsunade proposed a bet.

Jiraiya would later tell him that his old teammate was known for being a legendary sucker. After voicing his disgust at what he perceived to be unnecessary information, the man giggled, wrote something down in his notebook, before finally clarifying himself. Tsunade was a gambling woman, terrible with her luck. She lived a nomadic lifestyle not only to escape her ghosts, but debt collectors as well.

In his angered state of mind, Naruto agreed to wager his dream in exchange for her return. Tsunade didn't believe he could master the Rasengan within a week's timeframe. After countless days of hard work, he was finally able to manifest the technique, thus winning their bet.

It was only through the use of a clone, but Naruto was lucky Tsunade did not take such technicalities into consideration. After he and Jiraiya had saved her from Orochimaru and his equally disturbing assistant, Kobuto, it was the least she could do.

They returned to the village to concerning revelations. In their absence, two members of the Akatsuki had infiltrated the village in search of him. The combined efforts of Kakashi, Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai ultimately caused the two to retreat. Not before revealing their intentions.

The Akatsuki were after all the tailed beasts.

Jiraiya admitted his knowledge of the criminal organization. Another piece of information Naruto felt he learned under the wrong circumstances. Given the gravity of the situation, he held onto his growing list of bitter words along with his own truths. If ever there was a time to reveal the knowledge of his parentage, that would have been it.

The Akatsuki were a dangerous organization comprised entirely of high ranking, mostly S-ranked, Shinobi dead set on capturing all nine Tailed Beasts. Naruto couldn't conceive of a more dangerous threat. Certainly, more dangerous than any old grudges his father and mother may have accumulated.

According to Jiraiya's information network, they were not set to begin collecting the Tailed Beasts for a couple of years yet. Konoha's weakened state may have emboldened them to begin doing so much earlier. The Village Hidden in the Leaves could not withstand another attack so soon.

They departed the village once again almost immediately.

They did so in the dead of night, after a long meeting with Tsunade. She had been sworn in as the Godaime Hokage mere hours after their arrival. Konoha was in desperate need of a leader, and as the village leader, she approved a training trip. Under Jiraiya's protection and guidance, he was to learn how to take control of the Kyuubi to combat the threat of the Akatsuki.

Naruto wasn't able to say his goodbyes to anyone.

They were a mere three months into their trip when everything went wrong.

They had been camping out near the Southern border of Fire Country, short of a hundred miles north of the Land of Tea. Just far enough from most of civilization to be able to summon the Kyuubi's chakra without drawing unnecessary attention to themselves.

The process was slow going. The beast was not very cooperative and controlling his rage whilst under his influence was very difficult. Chakra control was key and his wasn't very good. Kakashi had only taught him how to climb trees, requiring only the most basic of control.

Naruto was very busy in those few months. Between attempting to control of the Kyuubi's chakra and his own, he continued his studying of seals in an effort to complete the Flying Thunder God technique.

His main focus was on his training as a jinhuuriki. He wanted to get as powerful as he could, as quickly as he could. He wanted to return to his village as soon as possible. He never imagined how complicated to achieve that would be.

He scarcely managed to call upon a single tail's worth of its power before suddenly, and violently, the forest was leveled. Both of his arms had been broken along with many of his ribs as a result of the surprise attack. When the dust settled and the confusion cleared, he found himself witnessing his mentor fighting a man with orange hair, glowing purple eyes, and a black coat with red clouds.

The resulting battle between a Sage and a Rennigan wielder was harrowingly awe inspiring. For what little of it he was able to witness. As Jiraiya battled with Pein, he was surrounded by five other members of the Akatsuki, all similar in appearance to their leader in hair color and in optical bloodline.

Naruto would come to regret all the time he wasted trying for everyone's acceptance and attention instead of focusing on bettering himself. Having been drawing on the Kyuubi's chakra, his bones were quickly mended, and yet, he stood no chance against the might of a true shinobi. As a result, he was forced to surrender control to the beast in desperation, and the instinct to survive.

It was then that Naruto was finally able to meet his father, for the first time since his birth. After punching him in the stomach, Naruto gave him an angry, rant filled glimpse into his life as an orphan. He was admittedly vindicated to know his father shared in his anger knowing just how he had been treated.

It was not his intention, he claimed. The Sandaime was supposed to protect him, to make sure the village hailed him as a hero for the sacrifice that had been forced onto him. He was never meant to have been left alone for so long, abandoned by all of his father's friends.

Naruto believed him.

Their time together, unfortunately, was short. His father was with him only in spirit, a final failsafe should he lose control. There would be no second chances going forward, his father warned. He could not lose control again.

Before his departure, his father gave him the key to the Kyuubi's seal so he could reign in the beast should it attempt to escape again. He also showed him the other half of the formula needed to activate the Flying Thunder God technique, if a bit reluctant. He warned of its many dangers including possible chakra exhaustion and bad kunai placement; along stressing the importance of a properly made seal matrix.

The slightest mistake could cause unknown adverse effects. He was not to use it unless under Jiraiya's direct supervision, or absolutely necessary.

Finally, with a teary smile and a final hug, his father disappeared from his life once again.

Naruto wasn't given time to mourn. When he came to, he discovered Tsunade had saved him. Not in person; it was her necklace which somehow managed to restrain the Kyuubi long enough for his father to tighten the seal.

Her gift was unfortunately shattered beyond repair.

The surrounding landscape was heavily cratered and scorched from battle. All around him, in smoldering heaps, were the unmoving bodies of the Akatsuki members. Each appeared to have been either blown apart, or torn apart. The Kyuubi's might was not to be underestimated.

Only one man remained. The memory still unsettled Naruto. Seeing his mentor laying broken and defeated beneath the man with glowing Rennigan eyes. In his hands a single black rod positioned above Jiraiya's back; poised for the kill.

He acted out of panic, biting his thumb he drew a sloppy version of the teleportation seal on his hand and tossed the tri-pronged kunai in Jiraiya's direction. His intention was to grab his Godfather and escape.

What actually followed was a blur of motion and near immediate darkness. When next he'd awaken, he and Jiraiya were in a hospital, in a foreign place or world. They weren't entirely sure which. Only that the hospital they woke up in was located in Salem, Massachusetts, in the United States.

With an entirely new language imprinted into their minds. It made absolutely no sense. Neither he nor Jiraiya could begin to think of a reason as to how they were able to suddenly speak a new language. It shouldn't have been possible. In the meantime, they had little choice to accept it.

There were far more pressing concerns.

After everything was said and done, and they escaped the hospital and the many questions of both doctors and the police, Naruto decided to finally speak his own truths. He told him everything. Including the abuse he suffered as a child as a result of mass negligence from the Sandaime, Kakashi, and Jiraiya himself.

He had no rebuttal. While Jiraiya was not happy knowing he had kept his work on his father's technique a secret, he was even more regretful at being presented his shortcomings as his Godfather. Naruto forgave him, but he couldn't help but feel the rift already present between them seemed to grow further.

It was yet another problem he decided to put to the back of his mind, their main focus was on trying to find a way home. Wherever that may be.

They immediately went into hiding, with every day leading to more shocking and disheartening discoveries. A map of the world revealed landscapes and continents neither recognized. There was no sign of the Elemental Nations anywhere, let alone any mentions of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

The realization was jarring. The humans that inhabited the current world were near identical to that of theirs, physically, with the only real differences in their seeming lack of chakra. They more than made up for their physical shortcomings with horrifying weapons of war and similar, yet far more advanced forms of technology.

It just so happened they found themselves in the most technologically and militaristically advanced nation of them all; the United States.

Deciding they had attracted too much attention to themselves as it were, Jiraiya had managed to sneak them onto a cargo ship he learned was heading across the sea to Ireland, one of the closest English-speaking countries across the sea from America. Canada being too close for their comfort to the States.

They had been lying low since then, trying to make sense of the situation, but there was none to be found. Their only hope being the very technique which had likely gotten them to where they currently were, the Flying Thunder God technique.

Naruto heard the door open downstairs, signifying Jiraiya had arrived. He rolled off of the bed and made his way downstairs to speak with him. Thinking about their home had reignited his desire to return back to the Elemental Nations, a fire that never truly waned.

He found Jiraiya in the living room with his face buried in a magazine, a string of giggles coming from him. Naruto felt annoyed seeing the cover of the magazine; a scantily clad woman adorned it. He was supposed to be buying groceries for their dinner.

Naruto dropped himself into the sofa, allowing the momentum to carry his feet onto the coffee table with an audible slam.

"Old man, how are we supposed to get home if all you're doing is gawking at those magazines?" He asked with audible annoyance, unbelieving of the ridiculousness of his own question.

"How can I not, Naruto?" Jiraiya declared, seemingly nonplussed by being referred to by the name he despised. "They have so much material in this world! Did you know they even have entire stores dedicated to - "

"I don't want to know!" Naruto interrupted. "We need to get back home!"

Jiraiya closed the magazine, setting it down on his lap with great care. This only proved to further frustrate Naruto.

"We've been over this before, Naruto. We don't know where our world may be and we've already tried everything possible. For some reason, our connection to the toads has been severed, so that won't work, and the Flying Thunder God seal is currently out of my comprehension," he said.

Naruto was currently able to use his father's technique at will. Against Jiraiya's wishes, he reapplied the seal onto his hand before trying at it again. He was pleasantly surprised to see that it worked, though not in the way he was hoping. He was half expecting further complications but none presented themselves. The only negative drawback being the sheer amount of chakra the technique required, even for his reserves.

For all intents and purposes, he had learned how to use the Flying Thunder God.

That didn't mean he mastered it or even knew the inner most complexities of just how the technique actually worked. He could flash, or teleport, to a seal marker, but therein lay the problem. The only marker he had was the one he threw to save Jiraiya, and it had arrived to the new world with them.

Without knowing exactly where it had taken them, or just how to get back, there wasn't very much they could do. Their only hope was if they could somehow decipher the inner most workings of the seal to see what could be made of it.

"Damn it," Naruto sighed again and slumped in the sofa. "This is all my fault."

"Buck up kid," Jiraiya said with a smile, "you did what you thought you had to. We would have both probably died if you hadn't. Though I wish you would have told me sooner you were working on your old man's technique. He'd be proud of you, that much I can promise."

"That would mean so much more to me if you didn't have that magazine in your lap," Naruto muttered. He had not disclosed his meeting with his father within his mind. Jiraiya was under the impression that he had found the other half of the seal in the book his mother left behind.

"Damned brat," Jiraya huffed. "The thanks I get for trying to cheer you up."

"Okay, I get it," Naruto said, proceeding a sigh. "We have to be patient until we can find a way back, but do I really have to go to school here?"

He had enough schooling for a lifetime.

"For now, we have to lay low and try not to attract any more attention to ourselves than necessary. I mean, imagine what the neighbors would say if my Godson were to loiter around here all day, like some sort of delinquent?" Jiraiya questioned dramatically.

"Why a delinquent?" Naruto asked with a brow pitched in annoyance.

"That's beside the point. Don't you want to keep that girl safe from her family until we can figure a way to get her out of there?" Jiraiya asked.

"Guess so," Naruto relented, "but I don't see why that has anything to do with me going to school."

"It's all about maintaining appearances. We have to blend in, Naruto. Think about it like this; either we try to fit in, which means you going to school, or live our lives hiding in the woods, like a pair of savages," Jiraiya said.

"But that's what we were doing before," Naruto deadpanned.

"I also imagine you'd rather stick around to try to help your little friend," Jiraiya said, ignoring his words. "You can't very well do that if we have to move again."

"Yeah," Naruto admitted, his thoughts momentarily straying to the girl.

"That's what you get for getting attached, kid," Jiraiya chastised. "Didn't I specifically tell you not to get involved with anyone here in case we found a way back?"

"Yeah, I get it. I screwed up again," Naruto muttered.

This time, it was Jiraiya whom sighed.

"It's nothing like that, Naruto. Look, I'm just giving you a hard time. I know I said you shouldn't get attached but I would be more disappointed in you if you'd ignored that girl's troubles," he said.

"Well what can we do to help Harriett if we can't contact the authorities or do something ourselves?" Naruto asked with audible frustration.

"For now, not much," Jiraiya stated demurely. "Again, we can't risk bringing attention to ourselves, not with such advanced world governments, and not until I can further case out this world. There's no telling what would happen if anyone were to discover what we can do. For now, all we can do is hope my threat will hold against those people."

"I get it," Naruto sighed. "I do. I'll go to school if it means keeping an eye on Harriett, but I'd just rather focus on the seal and getting home."

"Just not without my supervision," Jiraiya reminded him.

"Yeah, yeah,"

Both fell silent for some time, each lost in their own thoughts.

"What if we just make them, ya'know, disappear?" Naruto asked.

The suddenness of the words momentarily confused Jiraiya.

"What?"

"Why don't we just make them disappear?" Naruto repeated himself. "The Dursleys, I mean. Then we'll take Harriett in and when we find a way home, leave it up to her to decide if she wants to come along."

"You're joking, right?" Jiraiya asked, looking stunned.

"I guess we would have to explain to her what we are, what we can do, I mean, and where we're from, but I'm sure she won't mind too much," Naruto said.

"That's not what I'm talking about!" Jiraiya almost shouted. "We can't just go around making people disappear, no matter how much we dislike them! What part of not bringing attention to ourselves did you not understand? They may be bad people but they certainly don't deserve to die!"

"Well, let's just agree to disagree."

"Absolutely not!"

"Okay, I may have been exaggerating," Naruto admitted with a roll of his eyes. "And I never said anything about killing them. We could just ship them to America in the same boat we came here in."

"No."

It was apparent his mentor no longer wanted to entertain the idea, so Naruto decided to drop it for the time being. He wasn't being serious anyway.

At least not entirely.

"Putting your bad jokes aside," Jiraiya continued. "You start classes Monday so you need to remember your cover story."

"Which is?" Naruto asked.

"Were you not listening when I told you yesterday?" Jiraiya asked irritably.

"No," Naruto admitted with a careless shrug.

He was too angry thinking about everything Harriett had told him about her family. He was also somewhat frustrated with his Godfather, who forbade him from intervening. Though Naruto understood his reasoning, it didn't do anything to quell the feeling of impotence burning within his chest knowing that he could, and at the same time, could not do anything to help her.

"Kids these days, no respect," Jiraiya muttered to himself with arms crossed. "Alright listen closely this time, brat. You were born in Niigata, Japan, orphaned before I adopted you when you were one. We moved to New York shortly after you turned three because of my job as a language teacher. We lived there until just recently before coming here when I got a job as an author. The company publishing my book is based out of London."

That was yet another oddity that physically made his head hurt whenever he thought about it. The land closest resembling their own, at least when in regards to the culture and language, was Japan. They could read and speak Japanese, but it felt as though it were a second language.

"You couldn't pick a more believable cover?" Naruto asked following a scoff.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean your books suck," Naruto stated pointedly. "I can't believe you thought they would be a hit here. This world's full of people like you, perverts who happen to know how to write."

"The local publications don't recognize talent when they see it, that's all," Jiraiya said defensively. "You'll see. One day my masterpiece will be published for this world to see and enjoy!"

"The lady at the last place you went to even called the authorities on you when you told her how you conducted your research," Naruto stated dryly. "That's why we had to leave Ireland."

"Well she shouldn't have asked what motivated me to write!"

"Face it, old man. You suck at writing."

"Words hurt too, Naruto," Jiraiya stated sadly, slumping in defeat.

Naruto didn't mean what he said, at least not entirely. Jiraiya, for reasons he would never understand, had him proofread the latest, unpublished installment in the Icha-Icha series. It was terrible, comprised of nothing more than pornography with little plot. A cheesy romantic adventure story, if he had to classify it. As were the others in the series.

After reading them and knowing just what they contained, it made Naruto wonder why Kakashi always chose to carry one around everywhere he went, and just why he thought it was acceptable to read it in front of him and his team.

That didn't mean his Godfather was untalented.

Personally, Naruto quite enjoyed Jiraiya's first book, The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi. Despite the odd choice in title, it quickly became his favorite piece of literature. Granted, it was the only book he read after his time at the academy, barring the Icha-Icha series.

The fact he shared a name with the protagonist was what had initially garnered his attention.

Naruto couldn't fathom how it didn't sell. Though it was the apparent work of a novice, it was leagues better than the adult literature that followed. He would have suggested it for publication but he felt a personal attachment to the book and its story. It was, after all, one of his father's own personal favorites.

As a small form of recompense for not being there for him, Jiraiya had given him the first printed copy of the book, complete with his signature, dedicated to his father and mother. It had no cover image and was well worn from use as it had once belonged to his parents. That alone made it invaluable to him.

There was more to the book than his family history. The more Naruto read it, the more he realized the tale also offered a glance into his mentor's mindset and life. The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi was a story filled with tragedy and loss, as well as perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds.

All in the pursuit of world peace.

The parallels between the protagonist of the book and Jiraiya were hard to miss. His mentor had once let slip that his own dream for the future was of world peace through understanding, even though he conceded that it was highly unlikely.

The unrequited affections of the busty blonde love interest were also a dead giveaway.

The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi had quickly become one of his most prized possessions. It was for his eyes alone.

But he couldn't tell Jiraiya that. He didn't want to further inflate his ego.

"Whatever. I'm going to go see if Harriett's home," Naruto announced as he stood.

"Hoho!" Just like that, the life seemed to return to Jiraiya. "Off to see your little girlfriend I see."

"She's ten you creep." Naruto immediately replied without faltering. He made it to the front door when he heard something which gave him pause.

"And you're only twelve," he heard Jiraiya mutter to himself, almost sounding sad. "What did you let them do to him, sensei?"

Naruto decided to ignore his words.

The Dursleys never opened the door when he knocked. He heard a gasp from within but no one ever answered. It wasn't until the following Monday at school, when he next saw Harriett. Despite being two years older than the girl, he was placed only a year ahead of her in his studies, which were fortuitously similar to Konoha's own teachings. Only slightly more advanced.

They met at lunch.

"H-Hello," Harriett nervously greeted him.

Naruto glanced up from his tray and smiled at the short, shy girl.

"Hey!" He greeted her with genuine enthuse, "Go on, sit."

"Oh, well," Harriett appeared unsure of herself and seemed to grow embarrassed before the amassed crowd.

They were all children in his grade, some from his class and others not; all gathered at his table in an effort to get to know him. Naruto had initially tried to accommodate their curiosity, answering their shallow questions with his rehearsed answers. Though it soon became hard to do so as more people arrived and he found himself answering the same questions over again.

Naruto asked them kindly for some privacy. Some obliged, most did not. He tried his best to ignore them in hopes they would lose interest in him, but they proved to be annoyingly persistent. It seemed as though the more he tried ignored them, the more determined they became to talk to him.

Especially the girls, who were all insistent on hearing his accent and touching his birthmarks. At one point he would have loved the attention, now, he simply wanted to get through the day so he could get back to working on the seal.

"Look everyone, it's poor, poor, Potter!" One of said girls called out in a sing-song manner.

They all began to collectively laugh at her state of dress.

She was wearing a large brown sweater which hung loosely around her arms and neck. It appeared old and was stained in various places, with a couple of tears at the hem. Beneath that were a pair of loose beige trousers held up by what appeared to be a black string, with each leg bunched up at her feet, covering most of the shoes she wore the day before.

Harriett looked down in shame and quickly made to leave.

This angered Naruto greatly. Harriett had confided in him the fact that all of her clothes were hand-me-downs from her cousin and as a result, she was often ridiculed for it.

"Everyone leave," he slammed his fist on the table, startling everyone. "Now!"

He watched them scramble to get away from him, glaring at those few who dared to look back at him. As he chased a portly girl with his eyes, he met her gaze. All of the anger coursing through him immediately abandoned him at the sight of Harriett. His display seemed to have had the unintentional effect of frightening her as well.

She was staring at him with wide eyes filled with uncertainty.

"Sorry 'bout that," Naruto offered her his most sincere and apologetic smile and patted the seat at his side. "Come on, sit."

"Thanks," Harriett muttered before rounding the now empty round table and took the offered seat.

"They were starting to annoy me anyway," Naruto said dismissively. "But you're welcome."

He hummed inquisitively when he noticed Harriett was staring down at her lunch. Her messy mop of hair overshadowing his view of her eyes and he immediately knew that she was either embarrassed or sad at her state of dress, or a possible combination of the two. A feeling he knew all too well.

"What's wrong?"

She appeared to be having a hard time speaking so he didn't press. As of late, Naruto was beginning to understand the need for privacy. Sometimes all he wanted was to be left alone with his thoughts, yet Jiraiya would persist in annoying him.

He did, however, place a hand next to her on the table, touching arms with Harriett slightly but nothing beyond that. A simple reminder that he was there when she was ready.

"You don't have to be my friend."

Naruto was chewing on his dry sandwich when suddenly she spoke, her words so low that he missed most of what she had said. He quickly finished chewing, almost choking in the process.

"What was that?" He asked with a cough.

"You should be friends with them," Harriett began timidly. "They're in your grade. You shouldn't push them away just to be my friend."

Naruto stared into her large, watery green eyes behind round and battered spectacles and was suddenly reminded of a girl he once met under similar circumstances. Though Harriett's forehead was of average size, her clothes were a distinguishing factor that caused her to be ostracized at school. Her home life was worse yet.

The poor girl couldn't seem to catch a break.

Harriett closed her eyes as he roused her hair.

"Hey now, I wanna be your friend," Naruto began softly and honestly. "I don't need, or even want a lot of friends. You're more than enough. So, don't get hung up on things that don't matter."

He found a kindred spirit in the girl sitting beside him. They were alike in many ways. His situation growing up was undoubtedly worse, yet suffering was just that; suffering. The intensity was irrelevant and entirely subjective. Harriett obviously suffered at the hands of her Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin. Everyone at school seemed to mock her.

There was no doubt about it. Harriett Potter lived a horrible life and Naruto was determined to make it a little easier in any way he could; in a way no one ever really bothered for him.

"Really?" Harriett asked tepidly and with desperate undertones.

"Really," Naruto reaffirmed. "Now no more tears."

Harriett seemed to realize that she was in fact crying and quickly made to dry her tears on her scratchy paper napkin.

"Sorry," she apologized with a sniffle.

"Don't worry about it. Just promise me you won't doubt yourself again. I can't be this sappy all the time. It'll ruin my image!" Naruto stated, taking a page from Jiraiya's theatrics, he crossed his arms and displayed an over exaggerated imitation of a hardened expression, complete with eyes narrowed to slits and pouted lips.

Harriett giggled slightly.

"What image?"

"I guess it's already too late then," Naruto muttered, deflating in faux sadness.

She giggled again.

"I still think you're brilliant!"

Naruto found her beaming smile infectious and found himself unable to maintain his ruse.

"Don't you forget it," he muttered. Though he was happy he was able to cheer her up.

"Naruto?"

Naruto hummed again, this time in acknowledgment.

"Erm, well, do you remember the questions you asked me yesterday?" Harriett asked.

Naruto tried his best to restrain his expression. He could not forget her anguish as she described her living conditions with the monsters that were her family. The very people meant to protect her turned out to be her very tormentors.

"I do," he said, sounding terser than he had intended.

"Will you tell me yours? What you like and don't like, I mean. I forgot to ask, sorry," Harriett apologized meekly.

Naruto felt his heart warm at her innocence and suddenly felt the urge to pinch her rosy cheeks. He only refrained from doing so because while he considered Harriett his friend, he suspected doing so would be an invasion of her personal space.

"Sure. Ask me anything," he said.

"Oh, well, what do you like?" Harriett asked first.

"I like to train-" Naruto had to stop himself. Jiraiya had specifically told him to avoid revealing himself and their abilities to anyone, including Harriett. As much as he wanted to tell her just who and even what he was, she wasn't likely to believe him. Not without proving himself and that would only attract unneeded and possibly dangerous attention. "Trains," he finished lamely. "I like trains."

This time Harriett hummed.

"Trains? Does that mean you've been on one?" She asked. "I've always wanted to ride a train."

In that moment, Naruto decided he would get his friend on a train somehow. He'd never ridden in one because as a shinobi, he never had a reason to.

Now he did.

"No, but I will one day, and you're coming with me!" He announced.

"I am?" Harriett questioned with wide eyes, "but the Dursleys, they would never allow that."

"I'll figure something out," Naruto said. "I promise."

Harriett looked down at her lap with a visible smile.

"Okay," she muttered shyly.

Once again, Naruto had to refrain from outright hugging the adorable girl.

"I also like my friends," he decided to continue less he act on his urges. "Well, friend, I guess. I've never actually had a friend. There was this one girl, Saku-"

Naruto mentally cursed himself again at the mention of the girl he had a crush on. He was once again close to revealing more than he should and thinking about Sakura only saddened him further. He still missed the girl very much.

He hoped she wouldn't forget him until he could return.

"Naruto?" Harriett said his name carefully. "Are you okay?"

Naruto blinked away the stinging of his eyes and tried to smile at the visibly concerned girl.

"Yes, sorry. It's just that, well you're kinda my first friend," he lied.

Though she was currently his only real friend. As much as he cared for Sakura, she had forgotten their friendship long ago. As of late, her focus was on their other teammate, Sasuke, a narcissist whose obsession with killing his own brother superseded his attempts at friendship. The others from his graduation class regarded him as little more than a joke.

"Really?" Harriett asked.

"Yeah," Naruto muttered weakly, feeling rather pathetic as he considered his previous behavior. Friendship, he now realized, was a two-way street and something that could not be forced. The entirety of his time on Team Seven proved as much.

"You're my first friend, too," Harriett admitted.

Naruto pulled himself from his pity to regard the younger girl at his side. Knowing what he did of her home life and her bullish cousin's behavior, it wasn't too surprising. Yet he couldn't help but wonder why no one else bothered to befriend her. She was kind despite her situation, adorable, and smarter than she gave herself credit for.

It was truly odd.

"Well I'm glad we're friends," Naruto declared. "I like my friends, remember?"

"Thanks, I like you too," Harriet said, offering him yet another shy but brilliant and dimpled smile.

Once again, Naruto was tempted to smother the girl with his affection. She was simply too precious.

"As for what I dislike, I guess I don't like bullies, perv-" Naruto paused, remembering Harriett was young. He didn't need Jiraiya's shortcomings corrupting her just yet. He got lucky the first time, he couldn't think of another word to finish his sentence. "Personal insults, and liars."

Close enough.

"I don't like liars either," Harriett added.

Naruto had been lied to for most of his life. There was nothing more he disliked. It pained him to know he had to lie to his new friend but it was for her safety.

Just like they had once told him.

The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"As for my dreams for the future," Naruto trailed off. At one point he wanted to become the Hokage. After having learned of his parentage and meeting his father, the yearning for his family returned full force. A sentiment which overwhelmed him in the days of his youth. He had been alone for so long that he grown accustomed to announcing his arrival to an empty home, hoping someday, somehow, someone would answer him.

It had become his reality.

Knowing his parents in fact loved him made a world of difference. Suddenly, the recognition of others seemed less appealing. Deep down he still wanted to be the Hokage, so that he could protect his village, but that goal was becoming less likely. The possibility of never returning home was very real, no matter how he hoped otherwise.

Family on the other hand, was still very much achievable. People he could trust and rely on. As much as he cared for Jiraiya, the man wasn't the best influence. And despite being his Godfather, he was still getting to know him.

Maybe one day.

"Are you okay?" Harriett asked.

I'm fine," Naruto said, glancing at her. "Why do you ask?"

"You looked sad," Harriett said with audible concern.

"Ah, no, I'm - I'm just a little tired," Naruto admitted. It was true enough. He had stayed up later than he had intended the previous night, his thoughts were of his home and just how everyone was holding up.

Or if anyone actually missed him. No matter how hard he tried to ignore the thought, it continued to pester him.

He liked to believe the Ichiraku's would miss him, and maybe Iruka. Tsunade seemed nice enough despite her brash and blunt attitude. Shizune as well. It would have been nice to have gotten to know them better.

"Oh, well, what's your dream?" Harriett asked.

Right, he'd yet to answer her.

"I guess I want a family too," Naruto said.

"You're off to a good start," Harriett said, smiling at him. "You've got Ji-ray-ya."

Her mispronunciation of his mentor's name made Naruto laugh aloud. Not at her, of course, and he wasn't even sure why he found it so funny. He simply did.

He noticed Harriett fluster, possibly realizing what she had done. Not wanting her to think he was laughing at her directly, Naruto threw an arm over her shoulder and pulled her into a sideways hug.

"I guess you're right. His name is Jiraiya, by the way, but I call him old man," he said.

"O-Oh. Sorry," Harriett apologized again.

"No, no. Don't worry about it, Harriett," Naruto said, letting loose a few more chuckles. "I'm not laughing at you. You see, I like thinking of new names to piss-, erm, pester the old man. I'm gonna try that one next."

"Why?" Harriett asked curiously.

"Because it's funny," Naruto answered easily.

"Oh."

It was clear the girl didn't understand and that in itself, was understandable. There was much she didn't know about relationships, and there was much he was still learning too. Up until very recently, neither of them really had much experience with the kindness of others. Naruto decided there was much they could offer each other.

Unfortunately, there were remaining obstacles keeping him from realizing a full friendship with Harriett. Her Aunt and Uncle, namely, along with the possibility that he would one day have to return back to his home.

Naruto blinked, unsure of the uneasy feeling the thought of home conjured just then. Usually anticipation stabbed at his heart, never uncertainty in his belly. It was yet another problem he decided he would deal with at a later time. There wasn't much time remaining in the lunch hour.

"Anyway," Naruto continued, losing his smile he released the girl. "What about you? Your aunt or uncle didn't do anything to you yesterday, did they?"

"No," Harriett answered far too quickly, averting her eyes.

"Harriett," Naruto pressed, hoping to sound stern yet understanding. He was unsure if he succeeded in doing so.

"They yelled at me," Harriett finally admitted. She was looking down at her untouched tray of food. "For a long time. They said I'm not allowed to talk to you."

Naruto once again felt his ire rising.

"They didn't hurt you, did they?" He asked.

"No!" Harriett immediately said, turning to face him. In doing so, a tuft of her hair slapped him lightly across his cheek. She looked mortified. "S-Sorry!"

Naruto closed his eyes, breathed in deeply, before releasing his anger in a long, drawn out exhale.

"You're not lying to me, are you?"

"No, no, of course not!"

"Good," Naruto felt genuine relief knowing Jiraiya's threat had been effective. He wasn't sure there was anything the old man could have done to stop him from hurting the Dursleys if he found out they had hurt Harriett.

"Are you mad at me?" Harriett asked timidly.

Naruto looked at her in confusion. No. He was certain there was nothing the girl could ever do to make him mad at her.

"Of course not. I just needed to know if they did something to you, other than shouting at you, I guess," Naruto palmed the back of his head and smiled regretfully at her. "Sorry if I made you think I was mad at you. I'm kinda bad at controlling my temper, ya'know?"

Harriett seemed immensely relieved.

"So, you aren't mad I hit you with my hair?"

The innocence of her question along with her large doe eyes proved too much for Naruto. He hardly registered it happened until she mentioned it, but seeing her so worried for what amounted to an accident. He could no longer contain himself.

"Nope!" Naruto gushed, pulling the girl into a tight hug, mindful of his strength he rested his cheek atop her head. "Never! I could never get mad at you!"

He felt her stiffen in his arms and saw her pale skin quickly turn red, and when Harriett looked up at him, her shy smile was blinding. The dimples on her cheeks made the perfect targets but thankfully he had enough restraint to avoid pinching them.

If there was any doubt before, it was gone now. Naruto knew he would protect his new friend by any means necessary. He wouldn't allow anyone, not even her own family, to hurt her.

That was his promise.

* * *

 **Again, i apologize for the long wait. A combination of life, work, and college shit slowed me down. Also, establishing Naruto was harder than I originally imagined. Honestly, I had initially breezed by his introduction into the world of Harry Potter. That was my fault.**

 **I had to rewrite this chapter like three times before I decided on this. Even then I have to admit, I'm not too sure about it.**

 **I wanted to establish Naruto's story without the use of constant flashbacks, as I don't particularly like them. If done right, flashbacks can work, but I don't think I could pull them off. I also didn't just want to assume everyone knew Naruto's story.**

 **I know I haven't watched the anime in over four or five years.**

 **Now as i'm sure some of you may have noticed, I've taken some creative liberty with the canon events of Naruto. This is because I wanted to show everyone why Naruto feels jaded as well as what led up to their departure. Trust me, he'll be no Sasuke, but neither will he be so blindly trusting of others. He will, however, still highly value friendship above all else.**

 **Now, going forward this story will revolve around the world of Harry Potter. The Elemental Nations won't come back into play until much, much later in the story. The next chapter will begin to introduce the Wizarding World, and hopefully it won't take me nearly as long this time.**

 **Finally, I wanted to thank everyone who reviewed, your kind words are what pushed me to continue past writer's block and my own doubts. Thanks again.**


	3. Chapter 3

Naruto was lying on the sofa in the living room with his eyes closed as he teetered on the edge of sleep. The television was turned on, broadcasting the local news at a volume so low that he couldn't make out what was being said. Regardless, he was not paying attention. It was a lazy Sunday morning and he decided to spend the day relaxing.

He had homework that needed to be done but he didn't care enough to actually do it. Naruto had never been one for mathematics and he wasn't particularly interested in the history of the current world. Conflict appeared to be humanities' worst tendency, that much was apparent from what little research he did do. Meanwhile, geography only proved to confuse and dishearten him given the vast continental discrepancies, which only further cemented the fact they were no longer in the Elemental Nations.

Naruto couldn't even begin to comprehend science.

As a result of his aversion to academics, most of his free time had been relegated to bettering his understanding of seals. He had come far in the short time he had been studying them, his godfather reaffirmed as much, but neither were any closer to understanding the inner most complexities of the Flying Thunder God technique.

That was not to say they hadn't made any progress, it simply wasn't much. Jiraiya had discovered the technique contained some elements of summoning. The seal applied to one's hand summoned the user to the corresponding seal near instantaneously.

It had been a month since the discovery was made. They were currently late into the month of June, three since they had arrived to the world they now resided in. Time had flown by quickly, far too quickly, in Naruto's opinion and he was beginning to feel as though he was falling prey to complacency.

There was no evil organization dead set on extracting the beast he contained. Added to that; there wasn't a single person aside from Jiraiya who actually knew of the Kyuubi's existence, so he didn't have to keep looking over his shoulder, constantly wondering who secretly hated him and who merely tolerated him. Above all else, Naruto no longer carried the doubt of who his parents were, or if they loved him.

Though he knew he would never see them again, the heartache of a long life of alienation was slowly but surely fading with the passing of the days.

He was no longer alone.

As grating as his godfather could be at times, he knew the man was trying his best to remedy his past mistakes.

In fact, one of their favorite pastimes together was the reminiscence of good times gone bye. Jiraiya would spend hours at a time regaling his favorite memories of both his mother and father, along with some of his own personal stories as a nomadic sage. Naruto, in turn, would dig deep in search of what little good he experienced in life, producing memories of the old man Hokage and the Ichiraku's.

The more time they spent together, the more Naruto felt himself growing closer to the man his parents had chosen to be his godfather. In their absence, he was the only family he had left. He often wondered just how Jiraiya regarded him.

Then there was Harriett Potter, the girl who had since become his best friend. Though his time with her was far too limited for his liking, all an adverse result of the Dursley's stubbornness. He had even taken his godfather's suggestion in trying to make peace by swallowing his pride and apologizing to them for his previous behavior.

It didn't change a thing.

It only solidified his belief in the depravity of the Dursleys. They had slammed the door in his face and continued to bar him from approaching Harriett. It also proved as a reminder that it was sometimes preferable to simply ignore his godfather's advice.

Speaking of Jiraiya; he was currently away working on a farm located in London's countryside.

Coming by money without proper documentation had not been easy for his godfather. As a result, Jiraiya had taken to finding work anywhere he possibly could. One week he was a fisherman, and the next a day laborer. At the moment, he was acting as a farmhand to an elder woman whose husband of forty years had recently passed.

Naruto wanted to help his godfather work. He even offered to Henge himself into an adult so he could not be denied employment as a result of his age. However, for reasons beyond his comprehension, Jiraiya always refuse; saying he should focus on his studies rather than worrying about their finances.

He wasn't entirely sure what to make of his godfather's motives but there wasn't much Naruto could do otherwise. He learned very quickly that Jiraiya could be incredibly persistent; stubborn, really. Once he made up his mind, there was very little that could be done to convince him otherwise.

Thus, most of his weekends were spent alone. It wasn't as if Naruto wasn't used to the isolation but it was in such times that he found himself lost in thoughts unwanted. Doubts and insecurities lingered ever present in the back of his mind, keeping busy was the only way he could stifle them.

Unfortunately for Naruto, beyond his work on seals, it was becoming more difficult to stave off boredom.

He couldn't train because it had been put on hold for the foreseeable future. Beyond working on improving his knowledge of seals, Jiriya had strictly forbade him from partaking in any physical training beyond what he could do in their home. Namely stationary exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, and the occasional restrained jogs.

The same was true for anything to do with chakra-based techniques. Considering they both had large chakra reserves; even the most minimal of techniques could call unwanted attention upon themselves. Jiraiya offered this fact as one of the reasons why he couldn't help work.

This didn't leave Naruto much else to do other than to build up his body.

When he wasn't exercising, Naruto took to roaming London in search of something to keep him busy. Aside from taking in an entirely different world, he didn't find much that held his interest for too long. He did, however, take a liking to a form of entertainment known as video games.

Naruto spent more time and money than he would like to admit at the local arcades, playing all manner of games. A growing habit he managed to catch before he fell too far. It was becoming too expensive to frequent arcades in where it cost an average of fifty pence per game.

It quickly added up.

He eventually managed to convince his godfather to buy him a computer, for studying, he lied. He refused initially, rightfully sourcing their tight budget. However, after agreeing to help him proof read the re-write of his latest novel, Jiraiya's own side project, they purchased a computer.

It was an older model computer, far from being the best money could buy, but it was enough to play most games. For a while, that was enough for him. Unfortunately, for as much as he enjoyed playing video games, Naruto found himself growing restless the longer he sat still. Soon, what was once a sprawling pastime, was quickly becoming another activity of relative interest. With every passing day, his computer began to accumulate more dust, leaving him with little else to do.

There was only so much time he could allot to seals before even he grew tired of it.

Naruto released a sigh of frustration before rolling over until he was facing the backrest. He re-adjusted the pillow under his head until he found a comfortable position. He proceeded to tuck his face into the corner until the light no longer illuminated the lids of his eyes, the weight of incoming slumber began forcing them shut.

He was beginning to understand Shikamaru's view on the importance of sleep. Though Naruto was unsure of the Nara's exact motivations for his love of naps, his own were simple enough.

He couldn't think if he wasn't awake.

* * *

"What are we going to do now, Vernon?" Petunia asked desperately of her pacing husband.

Harriett tried to make herself as small as possible from where she sat at the kitchen table, nervously regarding her aunt and uncle, who were both in the living room with her cousin. After having sat through an entire morning of watching Dudley open all thirty-seven of his gifts, two less than the year before, the subject of his birthday outing came to be when they received an unexpected phone call.

Every year, without fail, her aunt and uncle would take Dudley and a friend out for a birthday outing. Naturally, that never included Harriett. She was usually sent to Mrs. Figg, who had just called to let them know she had broken her leg chasing after one of her cats.

Harriett was currently experiencing a conflicting sense of both hope and guilt. Hope because there was a real possibility that she may be allowed to stay home alone, and guilt because of what happened to Mrs. Figg. If not for her many cats and the odd stench of cabbage that permeated the air of her home, she wouldn't have minded spending the day with the woman.

"Have you tried calling Marge?" Vernon asked.

Marjorie was Vernon's sister, an equally nasty woman who liked to sick her dogs on Harriett. She wondered why her uncle hadn't tried to call the woman himself.

"There's no way! You know she hates the girl," Petunia dismissed almost immediately and as if she were not within hearing range.

Birds of a feather.

Harriett was beginning to remember that Marjorie was much closer to her aunt Petunia than she was to her own brother. Though they all shared in one common enemy.

That happened to be Harriett herself.

She still shivered at the memory of Ripper, Marjorie's vicious bulldog.

"Well then, how about your friend, you know, the snobby one with blond hair?" Vernon asked.

If possible, Petunia's expression soured further and Harriett was unsure if it had anything to do with her husband's description of her friend.

"Yvonne is on vacation to Majorca," she said.

Where?

Harriett had never heard of such a place.

"You know you could just leave me here," Harriett suggested meekly.

"Absolutely not!" Petunia immediately shot down the idea. "I don't need you burning down our home!"

"I wouldn't do that!" Harriett tried to argue, already regretting having said anything in the first place.

"She's gonna ruin everything!" Dudley bellowed from his seat on the sofa surrounded by presents, throwing aside one of his new toys; a walking talking robot.

Petunia stared at her husband with desperation, then to her crying son. Suddenly, her face contorted into something much uglier, much angrier, yet somehow resigned.

"If worse comes to worse I suppose we could just take her with us to the zoo," she began, sounding reluctant and annoyed.

Harriett had never been to the zoo. For all of a moment, she felt her hope rise at the possibility. While she would have liked to have a day to herself; a day away from the Dursleys, really. She could tolerate them if it meant going to the zoo.

"You know, have her wait in the car," Petunia finished, dashing said hopes.

She really should have known better.

"No!" Vernon snapped, his face reddening two shades darker. "It's new, I don't want her to make a mess of it!"

Harriett could think of other reasons as to why she shouldn't be left alone in a car, in the heat summer. While the current weather may not be unbearably warm, her uncle Vernon didn't believe in leaving windows cracked when parked out in public. She doubted he would make the exception for her.

"I don't want her to come!" Dudley cried with crocodile tears.

She couldn't remember the last time her cousin actually cried. He didn't have a reason to. Dudley did, however, know how to play to his parent's sentiments. If he wanted something, and he wasn't given it upon first request, all he had to do was wail and flail about like an inconsolable infant.

"Don't worry, Dudley dearest! Mummy won't let her ruin your special day!" Petunia said in an effort to comfort her son. She turned to her husband, looking truly distressed. "You must think of something, Vernon! The Polkis boy will be here any moment!"

Vernon abruptly halted his march and palmed his sweaty forehead, dragging his hand down his red face until it rested on his second chin. He looked angry, so very terribly angry. Much more than usual. For a moment, Harriett almost expected to see steam erupt from his ears.

"There is one option," he bit out slowly, "but I don't like it. Not. At. All!"

"What do you mean?" Petunia asked.

"I mean the neighbors," Vernon announced through grit teeth.

Harriett felt her heart leap in her chest. There was only a handful of neighbors who her uncle abhorred, and only a couple which could elicit such a reaction. That was her best friend, Naruto, and his godfather.

"Oh Vernon, you cannot be serious!" Petunia, who had seemingly reached the same conclusion, appeared just as appalled by the notion as her husband.

Harriett tried her best to refrain from smiling, least her excitement result in the changing of their minds. She didn't doubt for a moment they would do so just to spite her.

"Believe me, Petunia, if only there were any other way," Vernon muttered angrily, turning his glare to her. "Come with me, girl!"

Harriett fidgeted as he followed her uncle Vernon. She made sure to stay at least a couple of paces behind the fuming man; his anger visible in the red of his neck and the clenching of his fists.

Even at Vernon's slow pace, they quickly made it to 10 Privet Dr. She hadn't been back to her friend's home since the day she had first met him. Harriett was grateful for every moment she was able to spend with Naruto but an hour a day was hardly enough time for her.

That was a generous estimate. Considering Vernon wouldn't allow her to ride in his car, she walked home from school every day. Naruto had since joined her on the walk. Unfortunately, it was only a ten-minute trek at most, so it wasn't all that much more time. It didn't help that they had to go their separate ways before they even reached their block so the Dursleys wouldn't see them together.

Suffice to say, Harriett was extremely excited to spend an afternoon with her friend.

Vernon turned abruptly and Harriett almost stumbled as a result. He glanced over his shoulder to her friend's home and then all around, before returning his vile attention to her. With his hands on his knees and a grunt of exertion, he leaned forward to invade her personal space.

"Now listen closely, girl. If you're to stay here I won't have you spreading anymore lies about us," Vernon warned with narrowed eyes. "Do I make myself absolutely clear?"

Harriett had spoken only the truth with Naruto, but she knew better than to argue.

"Y-Yes, Uncle Vernon!" Harriett said.

Vernon said nothing else, muttering what she could only assume to be a curse beneath his breath. He stood to full height with another grunt and approached the door and began to knock. After about eight wraps, he took a step back and waited. Harriett glanced down at her feet when she saw him begin to turn back in her direction.

She heard him grunt in what she recognized to be disgust before continuing his knocking, this time much louder than before. Much angrier.

Still no one answered.

Harriett began to feel panic churn in her belly as Vernon's inpatients began to reach its peak. She never once stopped to consider whether or not Naruto may be home. They didn't own a car, so there was no real way to know. She could only hope he was.

Vernon's face rippled with anger as he knocked once more, this time using the side of his closed fist to hammer at the door.

Abruptly, the door swung open.

Harriett gasped.

Her friend was at the door, holding her uncle's clenched fist in hand.

"What?" Naruto asked very much like he did upon their first meeting, throwing Vernon's thick fist back at him.

"Oh, well," Vernon seemed to be struggling to understand what had just happened. He palmed the hand Naruto had thrown in confusion. "We – we were hoping you and your father would look over Harriett for a few hours."

That was a secret only Harriett was aware of. Everyone else was under the impression that Naruto was Jiraiya's son, through adoption, of course. What no one knew was that the tall man was actually his godfather.

Naruto said it was easier to explain their situation to others that way. Personally, it didn't make much sense to her but she didn't question it.

Her friend appeared taken aback, turning his confusion to her.

Harriett smiled sheepishly at him and waved. He waved back slowly before returning his attention to her uncle.

"Sure," Naruto agreed.

"Where is your father?" Vernon asked as he moved his head side to side, likely searching for the man inside their home with a nervous expression. "I would like his confirmation personally."

Naruto frowned as he stared her uncle down. For all of a moment, Harriett feared her friend may say something they would both come to regret. He broke their momentary confrontation to look at her again.

Harriett offered him another smile, this one more pleading in nature. She could only hope her friend understood what she was asking of him.

"I'll go get him," Naruto said following a sigh. He shut the door behind him.

Jiraiya appeared a short moment later, displaying a similar frown as his godson, his arms crossed.

"You asked for me?"

Harriett narrowed her eyes inquisitively at the tall man. Something about him felt unnatural, different more like, though she couldn't quite place exactly what that may be. It had been close to three months since she had last seen him, after all. That had to be it.

Vernon forced a smile.

"Yes, you see we have an important errand to run today and we would be obliged if you could look after Harriett for a few hours," Vernon said. His tone was stiff and his body even more rigid, eluding quite clearly to his distaste at his own request.

"Sure thing," Jiraiya agreed.

"Then you have my thanks," Vernon said, his farce of a smile disappeared as he glanced down at her. "Behave yourself now, Harriett."

The warning in his words was clear as day.

"I will," Harriett said.

Vernon lumbered off without any further words.

"Thank you for letting me stay here, Mr. Jiraiya," Harriett said.

"No problem, Har – erm, kid," Jiraiya said, appearing suddenly nervous about something. "Come on in. Naruto's in his room upstairs. It's the first one on the left. I gotta go run an errand. I'll be back later so go ahead and make yourself at home."

Harriett wasn't able to offer him a response, much less repeat her thanks. The man quickly departed, leaving her in the quiet home.

She looked around nervously, taking note that their home had not changed much since last she visited. The only difference she could find being the light clutter of food wrappers and the occasional bottle of water which littered both the kitchen and the living room.

It wasn't horribly dirty, Harriett had to clean much worse from Dudley.

She took notice of a few pieces of beige papers strewn across the coffee table. Her curiosity was peaked at the appearance of the odd symbols drawn beautifully across the pages. Carefully, Harriett approached, taking note of the bottles of ink and what appeared to be a couple of dip pens.

She wasn't entirely sure what to make of the symbols. Harriett couldn't tell if they were meant to be a picture or words. Naruto had told her that they were from Japan, thus the foreign names, before they moved to America where they learned English and their accents.

Harriett picked a piece of paper from the top of the stack and inspected it closely. As expected, she couldn't make heads or tails of it; though she did think it looked pretty, and the paper itself was soft. She would have to ask Naruto what it was, or what it meant, rather.

She didn't mean to intrude. Harriett placed the paper back onto the stack and made her way upstairs. She stopped at what would have been Dudley's first room and knocked tepidly.

For a moment, she received no response. She knocked again, a little louder this time.

"Naruto?" She called out. "Naruto, it's me, Harriett."

From within, Harriett heard what sounded like a window sliding open, or closed, she couldn't be sure which.

"Come in!"

Harriett opened the door to find Naruto was lying on his bed with a blank book in his hands. He was breathing lightly and was bouncing as though he had just jumped into bed. The window at his bedside was open, allowing in the natural light of the sun.

"Hello," Harriett greeted him with a smile.

"Hey there, Harriett! Come on in," Naruto repeated as he jumped out of his bed. "Not that I'm not happy to see ya but what are you doing here? Never thought your aunt or uncle would ever let you come over again."

"It's Dudley's birthday today. Mrs. Figg, the lady who always watches me, she broke her leg," Harriett explained.

"Great!" Naruto exclaimed with a grin, an expression that quickly fell away. "Erm, I mean not great for that lady but, well I'm happy you're here!"

"Thanks," Harriett felt her smile grow. "I'm glad I could be here too."

She took a moment to look around the room. It was clean, surprisingly so. Harriett didn't mean to judge but she was expecting a similar small mess as the one downstairs. She was also under the impression that boys were supposed to be messy.

His bed was unkempt, and there was a small pile of clothing in the corner of the room, near the closet but that was about it.

Harriett continued to take in the room, her eyes were immediately drawn to the bulky white monitor of a computer. It was resting on a desk in another corner of the room, directly across from where his bed was situated. Atop the desk were even more piles of the beige papers with the odd symbols, along with a few school issued books.

She wondered if he would allow her to play on his computer.

"So this is a boy's room," Harriett said, returning her attention back to her friend.

"What were you expecting?" Naruto asked with an amused smile.

"Dudley's room is always messy," Harriett said. She decided against telling Naruto that she was the one who always had to clean up after her cousin. There was no need to ruin the mood. Her friend always became angry when she told him how the Dursleys treated her.

"Well, you caught me on a good day," Naruto admitted. "Anyways, now that you're here, what do ya wanna do?"

Harriett's eyes immediately went back to the computer. She really wanted to play on it, but thought that it would be rude to ask.

She wanted to spend as much time with Naruto as possible. With the end of the school year quickly approaching, they wouldn't be able to see one another for some time. It didn't help that Naruto would be going to a new school the next year as a result of grade progression.

"Harriett," Naruto began as he approached, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I know this is your first time visiting here since we met but make yourself at home," he paused, his expression turning guilty. "Er, well, not like at the Dursley's but - "

"I know what you meant," Harriett interrupted his ramblings with a smile. That's why she liked him so much. He was always considerate of her feelings, even when he wasn't so good in expressing his own.

She was truly blessed to have a friend like him.

"Thank you, Naruto," Harriett said.

"Ah, well," Naruto seemed to fluster, palming the back of his head, as he often would when embarrassed. "You're welcome. Anyways, I don't got much games but you're welcome to use it however you want."

Harriett stared at the computer, still unsure of what to do.

"What will you be doing?" She asked.

"Are you hungry?" Naruto asked.

She was. She had spent all morning preparing for Dudley's special day and as a result, she wasn't able to eat anything. Not even a single slice of the bacon she was once again tasked with making. However, she didn't want to further impose.

"Not really," she lied.

Her stomach proceeded to contradict her.

Harriett felt her face grow hot. It must have been all the talk of food.

Naruto chuckled to himself.

"Someone's lying," he sung. "I'll make something while you play. You ever had ramen?"

"Ra-men?" Harriett repeated. "I don't believe I have. What's a ramen?"

"Oh you're in for a treat!" Naruto exclaimed.

Harriett giggled as she watched him bound out of the room. She sat herself at the desk, carefully setting aside a small pile of the papers with the odd symbols that was obscuring the keyboard. She was excited to play on the computer; it would be her first time ever.

Naruto eventually returned with a steaming bowl of what appeared to be noodles and vegetables in a broth, presenting it to her as what would be the best culinary experience of her life. The noodles were good, truly they were, but she did not share in his seeming fascination with the dish.

His crestfallen expression following her lack of reaction was downright heartbreaking. Harriett had tried her best to express her appreciation for the meal, stating that it was in fact good, but it wasn't what she would consider to be the best food in the world. Though she was glad to see him bounce back very quickly with a laugh and a promise to one day convert her to what he referred to as, the way of the noodles.

Her friend could be very expressive, Harriett noticed. Weird almost, but in a good way. He made her laugh and that was yet another reason she liked him so.

Regrettably, she unable to maintain her enthuse, even as she played on the computer and chatted with Naruto. Despite herself, Harriett couldn't keep her mind from straying to the day the Dursleys must be having.

She had always wanted to go to the zoo.

She would occasionally hear other kids discussing their own visits to the zoo. Many described it as a magical place full of all manner of exotic animals. Personally, Harriett always wanted to see a giraffe, and monkeys too. Perhaps even a lion, though she heard they were quite scary; so maybe not.

Harriett shook her head, internally chastising herself for that line of thought. It wasn't as if she would ever go to the zoo.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked from near over her shoulder.

Harriett jumped slightly before swiveling in her seat to face him. He was once again on his bed, crossed legged.

"Nothing! Nothing's wrong," she said, wondering just how he always seemed to know when she was troubled.

"Lying's no good, ya'know," Naruto said.

"But you lie to the teachers all the time. You said so yourself," Harriett said.

"Yeah but," Naruto trailed off, his expression troubled. He fumbled with his words for a few moments before releasing a relenting sigh. "Okay, you got me there, but lying to your friend's no good."

Harriett cast her gaze downward in shame. She didn't mean to lie to Naruto, she simply didn't want to hurt his feelings by admitting she would have liked to have gone to the zoo. Perhaps not with the Dursleys but it was true.

"I'm having fun here, with you," she said with troubled sincerity.

"I didn't ask if you were having fun," Naruto said. He tapped her nose lightly with his index finger and smiled at her. "Come on Harriett, you know you can tell me anything."

"I know that," Harriett began nervously. "It's just, well I don't want you to think I don't want to be here, with you."

"Why do you say that?" Naruto asked.

"The Dursleys are taking Dudley to the zoo today for his birthday. I've never been to the zoo before. I would really liked to have gone," she finally admitted. "But I'm happy to be here with you!" She added, looking him in the blues of his eyes, hoping dearly he would believe her.

"Zoo?" Naruto sounded somewhat confused for a moment before recognition seemed to strike him. "You'd rather be there right now, right?"

"No! I'm having fun here with you!" Harriett found herself almost shouting to reiterate. She realized she was beginning to repeat herself but she wanted him to know that it was true.

"You keep saying that," Naruto said with a shake of his head and a continuous smile, "but ya'know you're not gonna hurt my feelings by admitting it." He suddenly jumped off his bed and onto his feet, offering her his hand, "Come on then, let's go!"

"What?" Harriett questioned with confusion, instinctively taking his hand. "Where are we going?"

"We're going to the zoo!" Naruto announced.

"We are?" Harriett asked as she was pulled along by her friend. "But what if the Dursleys see us?"

"Don't worry about it, I got eyes like a hawk," Naruto said. "We'll avoid them."

"Are you sure?"

"Like a hawk!"

Harriett had never been on public transport before. The Dursleys never paid for any trips the school offered. And even on the rare occasion when the trip was free, they would always refuse to sign the permission slip.

She inched closer to Naruto when a rather smelly and oddly dressed man boarded the bus, taking a seat next to her. The man was short and old, with scraggly long white hair and an equally long beard similar in color, with patches of yellow around his mustache. He was clothed in a raggedy old black cloak with tiny round glasses resting on the bridge of his long nose.

Harriett didn't like the way he was glancing in her direction.

"C'mere," Naruto muttered.

Harriett felt herself being lifted by her friend and placed into his lap. Almost immediately she felt herself relax in his warmth. Naruto always seemed to make her feel so safe and comfortable when she was around him. So much so she decided to shut her eyes and lean back into his chest.

"Thank you," she murmured.

Naruto only hummed his acknowledgment and wrapped his arms around her to secure her.

Harriett could hear the sweet coos of some of the women around them but she was much too comfortable to feel embarrassed. She was happy too. Very much so knowing she was finally going to the zoo and she would be doing so with her best friend.

She idly wondered if Naruto realized how grateful she was to him. Since meeting the older boy, pleasant firsts were becoming more common.

Now he was taking her to the zoo!

"What's so funny?" Naruto asked.

Harriett offered her own questioning hum.

"You're smiling really big right now," Naruto said. "And you just laughed."

Harriett opened her eyes to look up at him from behind a curtain of her own hair and his.

"I'm just really happy right now," she said honestly.

Naruto smiled back down at her.

"What are you doing to me?" She barely heard him mutter.

"What do you mean?" Harriett asked.

"Nothing."

Harriett closed her eyes again, feeling them grow heavy. The weight of her head was also becoming too much for her neck to bear.

"Why don't you take a nap?" Naruto suggested. "It'll be a while before we get there and I can tell you're sleepy."

And she was.

The dull thrum of the bus's engine and light motion of the drive was doing something to her. Her friend's lap also happened to be very comfortable, certainly more so than even her own thin mattress which had a couple of springs protruding from near where she lay her feet. Also, her aunt Petunia had woken her up especially early to ensure Dudley had the best birthday possible.

Her early awakening coupled with the surprisingly soothing ambiance of the bus ride coalesced into a powerful concoction and before Harriett realized it, she began to doze off.

"Okay," Harriett muttered, resting her head on his shoulder.

It felt as though she had blinked before she felt Naruto gently shaking her awake.

"We're here," he announced.

Harriett blinked away the remainder of her drowsiness. Taking in her surroundings, she immediately caught sight of the large building that was the zoo. She rushed out of the bus, only half acknowledging Naruto's heeds to slow down and stay close.

"Let's go!" Harriett exclaimed as she grabbed his hand, pulling him along.

She almost ran straight in. Naruto had to gently guide her into the admissions line with him. Harriett was dancing on the balls of her feet all throughout the long line, excitement steadily building within her. The moment they passed through the gates they were met with various vendors selling all manner of food and drinks.

Suddenly, she was feeling very hungry again.

Harriett's attention was immediately drawn to the bright yellow cart with a pink ice cream cone painted on the side. The woman manning the cart, a short and plump brunette, seemed to notice her curiosity and beckoned them over with an overly large smile.

"What will you two have today?" She asked kindly.

Harriett looked up at Naruto, hopeful and reluctant all at once. In her excitement, she failed to consider the fact that she had no money. She knew her friend wouldn't mind but she couldn't help but feel he'd done enough as it were.

"Choose whatever you want," Naruto offered.

"Are you sure?" Harriett asked.

"Yep!"

She immediately turned back to the cart, scanning through the listed items, written on a wooden sign by hand in baby blue paint. They all had extravagant names with only a few eluding to what flavor they were. Some didn't even offer that much, leaving Harriett at a loss as to what she should choose.

"What do you recommend?" Naruto asked.

"Well," The woman tapped her finger against her plump red cheek, "the Chocolate Swirls sure are popular. They're a vanilla ice cream cone with a chocolate swirl in the center, and a chocolate outer shell. Quite delicious, really. Then there's the Berry Blast. They're multi-flavored ice pops. I do enjoy those myself on such hot days like today."

"I'll take the Chocolate Caramel Surprise, please," Harriett said.

"And I'll have the Berry Blast," Naruto said.

"Coming right up!"

Harriett began to devour her snack the moment she received it, thoroughly enjoying every bite of the cold delight. It was the first time she ever had ice cream and it was quite possibly the most delicious thing she had ever eaten.

"Hold still," Naruto said.

Harriett closed her eyes as she felt him wipe her cheeks with a paper towel the ice cream vendor had given them. She flushed at the gesture and her own carelessness and quietly thanked him.

They had stopped at a few more vendors where Naruto bought her a small bag of popcorn and a can of strawberry soda. He chose a bottle of water and a bag of chips for himself.

"What do you want to see first?" Naruto asked as they entered the section of the zoo where the animal enclosures began.

"How about the monkeys? I heard some of them can be quite brilliant," Harriett suggested, unsure of herself. She was beginning to think she was being demanding in her requests.

"Whatever you want to do, Harriett. Today's all about you," Naruto said, expressing his honesty with a smile.

Harriett found herself acting before she even knew what she was doing. Placing her food on a nearby bench, she lunged at him, nearly toppling him in his surprise as she hugged him tightly while thanking him profusely with tears stinging her eyes.

Once again, Harriett couldn't help but think that she was truly lucky to have such a great friend.

* * *

And so went their day. Hours passed as though halved as they enjoyed the various exhibits.

Initially Naruto wasn't sure what he thought about having animals taken from their natural habitat to be locked away on display for the masses. He found a silver lining in the fact that he learned so much about the current world's species from the information displayed by their enclosures.

Some of the animals were identical to the ones from his world, with the lacking ability of speech. An oddity found only in summoning animals, and some of the Inuzuka family's dogs. Or so Kiba liked to claim. Naruto wasn't entirely sure he believed him but he wouldn't have been surprised if that were the case.

Though he could have almost sworn to have caught Harriett conversing with a very large snake in the reptile exhibit. He had been staring at the toads, fruitlessly hoping one would suddenly start speaking to him when he heard her whispered hisses.

The very notion left a bad taste in his mouth as he recalled the vile man synonymous with snakes from his world. A thought that quickly dissipated in the presence of the bubbly girl.

Harriett was positively radiating happiness and that fact alone made his day.

Now more than ever, Naruto was unsure if he could ever leave her. He still very much wanted to get back to his home, if only to lay to rest unresolved issues. However he could not envision himself ever leaving her.

Harriett was quickly growing into something more than just a friend to him. In the short time he'd known her, she had become a very integral part of his life.

Aside from the yearning for a family, for parents; Naruto always wanted a sibling to dote on and care for. She was sweet, adorable, and the most kind-hearted person he had ever met. Harriett was everything he could ever hope for in a little sister. Now more than ever he wanted to save her from her situation. To take her home with him to protect her forever.

But that would be dangerous. His world was dangerous. He had come close to death four times in his twelve years of life. He wasn't sure if he could ever expose her to such dangers.

"Look, Naruto!" He's eating from my hand!" Harriett called out with a giggle as a giraffe lapped at the treats in her hand with its large dark tongue.

Naruto smiled his acknowledgment as he watched the girl enjoy herself.

There was no use in worrying about such things at the moment.

"What in the bloody – what are you doing here?"

Their fun was immediately halted at the loud proclamation.

Naruto startled and momentarily felt a sensation of fright lance through his belly. A feeling which quickly turned into fire seeing Harriett's jubilant expression fall away into one of fright. He turned to see the gelatinous Vernon Dursley storming towards them, with Petunia hot on his heels, wearing a similar expression.

"Damn-it," Naruto cursed under his breath. He had let his guard down, almost completely forgetting to keep an eye out for the Dursleys.

"U-Uncle Vernon, we - " Harriett began to try and explain herself, only to be cut off.

"None of that! You are not supposed to be here!" Vernon continued in his angry, elevated tone.

Harriett looked downright terrified. Her face lost all color and he could see tears pooling in her large eyes.

Naruto placed himself before his friend and glared at the man with all of the anger he was feeling. Vernon seemed to lose all steam and nearly stumbled to a stop, his eyes bulging as his knees trembled.

He interrupted the large man's advance with his sheer malicious intent.

It was a technique his godfather had taught him. It's purpose was as a powerful psychological deterrent. Those with potent enough chakra, and a killer's will to match, could utilize the technique to heavily demoralize those susceptible to fear. His Jinchuuriki status allowed him to become especially adept in intimidation. All he had to do was focus all of his anger onto a single target and channel the Kyuubi's influence.

Naruto felt a feeling vindictive satisfaction seeing the man frozen in fear and yet, he wanted to do more.

The way he was speaking to Harriett, the effect he had on her. Naruto wanted nothing more in that moment than to hurt the man. To make him pay for all he had done to his friend, but he knew that in doing so, he would create a myriad of problems more trouble than it would be worth.

A small, more rational, side of him realized he shouldn't be so quick to turn to violence, especially to a man of relative innocence. However, he was not in the right state of mind in that moment. Harriett's desperation was almost palpable and it was more than enough to set off inside him an inferno of rage which took almost every ounce of his self-control to keep in check.

"You didn't want to take her to the zoo, so I did. Is there a problem with that?" Naruto questioned rhetorically, never breaking eye contact with the man.

Vernon seemed as though he wanted to say something but could not find the words.. His face was red and he was sweating, none of which could be attributed to the heat of the day.

"Boy, where is your father?" Petunia asked.

She was not his current focus of his intent, so she was unaffected by it.

"Around," Naruto grunted, never once breaking eye contact with Vernon. "We paid for Harriett, so you should go away before my father makes you leave."

He could feel the Kyuubi's ominous presence becoming more free-flowing the longer he projected his intent, fueling his anger and twisting his thoughts into something much darker. He was beginning to conjure up other, far more cruel ways of making all the Dursleys pay for the suffering they inflicted onto his friend.

"I don't care if - "

"Petunia!" Vernon abruptly shouted, stopping his wife mid-rant.

"What?" Petunia sounded absolutely confused. "But Vernon, they're - "

"Now Petunia! Leave them be!"

Naruto did not let up on his intent to harm the rotund man until they were out of sight, disappearing around a corner with a confused Petunia, Dudley, and his friend in tow. He continued to focus on the area he last saw them until he felt a tug at his shirt.

He turned to see Harriett staring up at him with tears in her eyes. She flinched for some reason and took a step back.

"N-Naruto?" Harriett meekly uttered his name.

Just like that, all the anger he felt immediately disappeared, leaving Naruto dumbfounded as to what had happened to him. He hadn't allowed such unbridled rage to overtake him in some time, at least not since he found his life in danger.

"Yeah?" Naruto asked, absent minded.

"I think we should go now," she said.

Naruto felt ashamed that the ten-year-old-girl was the voice of reason.

"Yeah."

The trip back was uneventful and traveled in silence. The previous cheery mood was now absent, replaced with a dreary ambiance.

Naruto tried his best to reassure his friend that everything would be okay, even if he couldn't personally do anything ensure it. He felt horrible for having allowed the Dursleys to find them, and for having allowed himself to lose control of his emotions.

Now more than ever, it would be harder to spend time with Harriett. While Naruto was grateful his friend was finally able to experience the zoo, he knew the memory would be forever tainted with the negativity of the confrontation with the Dursleys.

It would have been easier had they just stayed home.

"Naruto," Harriett began nervously.

"What is it?" Naruto asked, he frowned seeing her quickly avert her eyes from his own.

"I don't think we should walk together," Harriett said.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"I don't think you should walk me home from the bus stop," Harriett said. "My aunt and uncle are going to be furious with me as it is. I don't want to see you fight with them anymore."

"Harriett," Naruto said her name softly, "I won't fight with them."

"Please, Naruto," Harriett pleaded. She continued to refuse to meet his eyes. "I'll be okay, really."

"Fine," Naruto relented, "but I'm at least walking you to our block."

"T-That's fine."

Naruto was confused as to why Harriett had departed with only prompt goodbyes as soon as they arrived to Privet Drive.

His animosity for the Dursleys never once waned, but now more than ever, he was determined to find a true solution to his friend's situation. Even if that meant resulting to more desperate measures.

He supposed he would have to consult with his godfather about it before he actually did anything, Harriett as well.

That, as it turned out, proved much harder than he had originally anticipated.

Naruto didn't want to believe it, but it seemed as if Harriett was actively trying to avoid him. At school, during their lunch break, she sat alone at a different table. Whenever he attempted to speak to her, she would rush off before he could get off a single word.

It must have been the Dursleys doing. Naruto couldn't think of any other explanation. It made sense considering Vernon would now pick Harriett up at the front of the school to ride home along with Dudley.

With the end of the school year quickly approaching, now only a week away, this greatly disheartened Naruto.

"What are you brooding about now?" Jiraiya asked.

Naruto glanced up at his godfather from behind the pages of his book. Jiraiya was seated directly across the table from him, hunched over a typewriter. He was adamant on getting at least one of his books published and was in the process of rewriting a couple of them in his free time.

"I'm not brooding," Naruto said before returning his attention to his book.

"You totally are," Jiraiya said.

"No, no I'm not," Naruto dismissed.

"Are too," Jiraiya continued.

"I'm not in the mood for that game right now, old man," Naruto said following a sigh.

"Are. Too"

"No."

"Are. Too."

"Just stop it already."

"Are. Too."

"Damn-it Jiraiya, stop," Naruto said, growing increasingly irritated by his godfather's childish behavior.

"Are. Too," Jiraiya persisted.

He did so for the following ten minutes, only briefly pausing to renew his breath.

"Are. Too. Are. Too. Are. Too-"

"Am not!" Naruto snapped, slamming his book down on the table to glare at his godfather.

"Are too," Jiraiya said, leaning back with arms crossed and a satisfied smirk.

He won and he knew it.

Naruto allowed himself to fall back into the recliner with an elongated sigh.

"How old are you again?"

"What's got you down, kid?" Jiraiya asked, ignoring the question.

"It's Harriett. I'm beginning to think she's avoiding me," Naruto admitted.

"Why do you think that?" Jiraiya asked.

"Well, she has been avoiding me for one," Naruto said with frustration. "And I'm pretty sure it's the Dursley's fault.

"But," Jiraiya pressed.

Naruto placed his face into both of his hands with a sigh.

"But if she really wanted to talk to me, she would have made the effort to do it. I know I've been trying to, and it's not like Dudley shares a lunch with us so there's no way he would know. He didn't know before," he explained, his words coming muffled from behind his hands.

Jiraiya was rubbing his chin in contemplation, humming as he did so.

"Sounds like you're right. She probably is avoiding you," he concluded.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Naruto deadpanned, looking at his godfather.

"Did you want me to lie to you?" Jiraiya countered.

"No," Naruto relented.

"Thought so. Now then, how did you screw things up this time?" Jiraiya asked.

"Why do you assume I did something wrong?" Naruto asked irritably.

"Then you're saying the girl is in the wrong?" Jiraiya said.

He had him there.

"No."

"Didn't think so. Unlike you, that girl's a sweetheart," Jiraiya said.

"Ya'know, you're really not helping me here, old man," Naruto muttered.

"The truth hurts sometimes, Naruto," Jiraiya said with a shrug. "Now think about it, what could you have possibly done to have her ignore you so fervently?"

Naruto was immediately brought back to the incident at the zoo. Everything was going as well as it could be until his confrontation with the Dursleys. It was possible Harriett could have been angry at him for failing to keep the watchful eye he had promised.

His carelessness had led to them being found.

Naruto almost immediately dismissed the thought. It was like Jiraiya had said; Harriett was a sweetheart, she would never hold that against him. He may have only known her for about three months but he was certain in thinking that his friend was the kindest person he had ever known.

He was also resolute in thinking Harriett would never treat him unjustly; unless he did something to rightfully deserve it.

"Shit!"

Realization struck Naruto like frosted lightning, chilling his blood at the harrowing realization he had just come to.

The way he threatened Vernon, although not verbally. He had directed his intent to kill at Vernon, but as was the norm with him, he never really was one for control. Thinking about it under a deeper scrutiny, he had only ceased his anger after Harriett had approached him.

"Ah shit!" Naruto cursed again, this time he aimed the detrimental word towards himself.

"I'm guessing you've realized it," Jiraiya said.

"I'm an idiot," Naruto said with groan.

"Well yes, but what did you do this time specifically?" Jiraiya asked.

"Shut up," Naruto said, palming his forehead, running his hand up through his hair in frustration.

He proceeded to explain everything that happened to them on that Sunday.

"And you didn't tell me this, why?" Jiraiya asked with visible ire.

"It didn't seem important at the time," Naruto said dismissively.

"How was that not," Jiraiya paused and took a calming breath, "never mind. You need to fix this, Naruto and you need to fix it now, before it's too late."

"And how exactly am I supposed to do that? Harriett doesn't want to talk to me and I'm obviously not allowed anywhere near their home," Naruto said.

"I don't know. You're kind of a smart kid, Naruto, so figure it out," Jiraiya said, leaning back into his sofa. "But remember, don't follow your instincts on this one."

"You're not exactly making any sense here, old man," Naruto said dryly.

"Okay, let me put it like this. You decided that instead of using your head and your words, you mentally threatened to kill a man. I'm guessing that was your first instinct. So, don't do that again; think before you act, Naruto," Jiraiya advised.

Naruto was admittedly offended by Jiraiya's words but he knew he couldn't deny the truth in them.

"Yeah, you're right," Naruto said.

"When am I not?" Jiraiya questioned proudly.

"Seventy-three percent of the time," Naruto immediately replied.

"Why such a specific number?" Jiraiya asked.

"We're learning percentages at school," Naruto said.

They both shared a flat expression before both burst out into laughter.

"But seriously, thanks, for listening, old man," Naruto said, offering his godfather a grateful smile.

"Anytime, Naruto," Jiraiya said, smiling back.

It so happened his revelation came to Naruto late on a Friday. This was both a blessing and a curse.

He couldn't speak to Harriett until Monday, giving him two days to plan out just how he would go about apologizing to the girl, and he only had a week to do so before the school year came to an end. That was also two full days to stew in his self-doubt and guilt for exposing her to the very fear he wanted to protect her from.

As he was currently doing.

It was Saturday and Naruto once again found himself sprawled out on the couch, staring aimlessly at the white ceiling above, using the TV as filler noise. Jiraiya had found steady employment as a farmhand with the elder widow, working every single day of the week from morning to evening, leaving him alone again for the weekend.

"Looks like it's that time of year again, William!" The voice of a female news anchor began in an overly cheerful and fake tone. "Nearly twelve years ago all of England experienced quite the odd phenomena. Tawny owls, Barn owls, and Long-Eared owls are but a few of the many species of owls that one may expect to see within the coming weeks."

"It is quite the sight, Rachael!" Another expressive voice chimed in, this one male in nature but equally fictitious. "Both bird watchers and Ornithologists alike continue to be stumped by this phenomenon as most of these creatures are considered non-migratory; meaning they do not have the need to migrate. To see such heavy owl activity is truly unprecedented. Some may even go as far as to say it's magical!

Naruto tuned out the news broadcast as he considered just how he could go about approaching Harriett without scaring her away. He had to be aggressive, of that he was certain. She wouldn't allow his approach otherwise.

On that same front, he would have to tread carefully on such a thin line. If he allowed things to continue as they were, he would lose a friendship. The same would be accomplished if he pressed too hard. Finding the right balance proved to be harder than he had originally anticipated.

Releasing a frustrated groan, Naruto wondered if Harriett was really worth the effort.

After all he'd done for her, she had the gall to fear him!

Just as quickly as he allowed his frustration to overtake his rationality, Naruto returned to his senses. Harriett was a ten-year-old-girl. A child. One who'd only known suffering and the inside of a closet. She had the world to fear.

If what Harriett had told him was true, and Naruto didn't doubt her in the slightest, then kindness was foreign to her. As it was once to him.

Trust was hard earned. Naruto knew this better than anyone else.

By behaving in the manner he did, he scared Harriett, possibly destroying her trust in him. Doubt riddled Naruto in that moment. He began to wonder if maybe she was better, safer, rather at a distance.

He was quick to anger and prone to acting before thinking. Coupling that with the beast he contained produced a dangerous combination. One his friend may be better off avoiding. It would also make it easier to leave her when, not if, they found a way back to the Elemental Nations.

But he didn't want that. Naruto didn't want to lose her friendship and as it was, he may not have a choice in the matter.

"This isn't getting me anywhere," Naruto admitted aloud with frustration, kicking the sofa's armrest.

It was yet another of his faults. When lost in deep contemplation, his thoughts would always come full circle to a single cessation. That conclusion was that he had no semblance of who he was as a person or just what he aimed to do with his complicated life.

Naruto was drawn from his internal monologue by a tapping at the window.

He blinked and wondered for a moment if he had imagined the sound. Or if it was produced by the Tv now displaying the weekend weather predictions. There was a slight cold front moving in with a fifteen percent chance of rain.

The tapping at the window sounded out again, much louder this time.

Naruto felt his hope rise for all of a moment, thinking that it may be Harriett trying to quietly garner his attention. In that same moment, he felt nervous apprehension as he was still undecided as to how he would handle explaining himself.

He approached the window slowly just as another round of taps sounded out. Behind white blinds, the sun cast the shadow of something oval-shaped.

Definitely not the shape of a person's head, much less that of a short for her age girl.

Naruto split the blinds with two fingers to find himself face to face with the two large and dark eyes of an owl.

"What the hell?"

He pulled the cord to raise the blinds and sure enough, perched on the window sill was a chubby brown owl. In its beak a dull and thick yellow envelope with a red seal keeping it together.

In his surprise, Naruto continued to stare blankly at the animal. It tilted its head to the side, as if too considering something, before it lifted a leg and began tapping on the window with its talon.

It obviously wanted to be let in.

Cautiously, Naruto decided to investigate further. The presence of the owl itself was a surprise but it was the envelope its possession which fully peaked his curiosity. Especially considering he could see his name scribbled in the center.

He pulled the blinds up all the way and unlatched the lock to slide the window open. The owl immediately leaned forward to present to him the envelope. Naruto reached out to receive it but stopped himself short in apprehension.

Naruto was unaware of any such delivery system in the world he currently found himself in. Though it was entirely possible he was simply unaware that mail could be delivered by anyone other than the post man.

The owl's hoot was muffled as it craned its neck to press the envelope into his outstretched hands. Naruto reluctantly accepted the animal's offering, wondering with hope if somehow it was a summons animal from the Elemental Nations.

He stared at the envelope, inspecting it closely for any other visible seals other than the one keeping it closed. So entranced by his task as he was, Naruto was slightly startled when the owl offered another soft call before fluttering its large wings.

Naruto stuck his head out of the window to watch as the bird took flight, tracing it until it disappeared off into the distance. Once he was sure it was gone, he shut the window and drew the curtains.

His immediate attention returned to the envelope in his hand. One which Naruto was admittedly cautious to open.

 _Mr. N. Uzumaki_

 _10 Privet Drive_

 _Little Whinging_

 _Surrey_

It was his name and address.

If that owl was indeed a summons animal from his world, it could mean a possible way home. If not, only disappointment would follow. He'd sealed his fate the moment he made the possible connection.

Naruto pinched the free space of the paper above the red wax seal and wondered for all of a moment if he should wait for Jiraiya's return. It would have been the safe, ideal thing to do.

Of course, he was never one for patients. The prospect of waiting was one he entertained for all of a moment before he was tearing the envelope open.

What he found within was the furthest from what he could have ever expected.

There were two pieces of paper. At the very top of the two parchments was the image of a multicolored shield with a bold yellow H in the center. The shield itself was divided into four square segments, each a different color. Included in the four squares were basic depictions of four different animals.

A lion on the top left corner in red, a snake to the right in green, a badger on the bottom left in yellow, and finally an eagle on the bottom right in blue.

Their trip to the zoo had been very informative despite the terrible ending.

Below even that, printed in bold lettering, was an agglomeration of words that shook Naruto's beliefs in the world he thought he knew.

Again.

* * *

 **HOGWARTS SCHOOL** _ **of**_ **WITCHCRAFT** _ **and**_ **WIZARDRY**

 **Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore**

 _ **(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chief. Warlock,**_

 _ **Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)**_

 _ **Dear Mr Uzumaki,**_

 _ **We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.**_

 _ **Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.**_

 _ **Yours sincerely,**_

 _ **Minerva McGonagall**_

 _ **Deputy Headmistress.**_

 _ **P.S. Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore is well aware of your special circumstance regarding the Wizarding World. As such, he has agreed to arrange for a Witch or Wizard from the Muggle Liaison Office, to meet with you to discuss this in further detail. You should expect someone within a week, two at most, upon receiving this letter.**_

* * *

Naruto felt the blood chill in his veins and his stomach sink. Suddenly, he was feeling very sick.

Witches, Wizards, and Wizardry?

Naruto was completely floored by what he read and reread many times over. Absorbing absolutely every detail he could of the letter in an attempt to make a semblance of sense from it.

He had no such luck.

Though the implications were truly troubling.

Beyond the mentions of witches and wizards, whatever that was, someone somehow knew of their existence. It simply shouldn't have been possible. They had been careful. Naruto had made the sacrifice to put his training on hold to avoid possible detection. He hadn't used his chakra at all since first Jiraiya forbade him from doing so.

But that wasn't true.

Naruto felt his dread increase as recalled at least two instances in which he used chakra. Once when he disguised himself as his godfather to let Harriett in, and the other when he used it to intimidate Vernon. Both times he put little thought in the possible consequences.

Now, his carelessness may have cost him more than just a friend.

Someone would soon be arriving to discuss their circumstance. That, above all else, was what troubled him the most.

Naruto was unsure of how much time had passed as he stared at the letter, his mind devoid of any real function as his senses abandoned him. Suddenly, the silence of their home was deafening.

The second letter fell from his hand, dancing through the air on its way down, landing face up to further his confusion.

Naruto blinked away the dryness in his eyes, still feeling very much numb as he picked it up to read it.

* * *

 **HOGWARTS SCHOOL** _ **of**_ **WITCHCRAFT** _ **and**_ **WIZARDRY**

 **UNIFORM**

 **First-year students will require:**

 **Three sets of plain work robes (black)**

 **One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear**

 **One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)**

 **One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)**

 **Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.**

 **COURSE BOOKS**

 **All students should have a copy of each of the following:**

 _ **The Standard Book of Spells**_ **(Grade 1) by Bathilda Bagshot**

 _ **Magical Theory**_ **by Adalbert Waffling**

 _ **A beginner's Guide**_ **to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch**

 _ **One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi**_ **by Phyllida Spore**

 _ **Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them**_ **by Newt Scamandar**

 _ **The Dark Forces**_ **:** _ **A Guide to Self-Protection**_ **by Quentin Trimble**

 **OTHER EQUIPMENT**

 **1 wand**

 **1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)**

 **1 set glass or crystal phials**

 **1 telescope**

 **1 set brass scales**

 **Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad**

 **PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT**  
 **ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS**

 **Yours sincerely,**

 _ **Lucinda Thomsonicle Pocus**_

 **Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions**

* * *

It was a list of items he would need should he choose to attend the school of whatever Witchcraft and Wizardry was. Most of the items listed were unknowns to Naruto, only proving to further confuse him.

Dragon hide gloves and magical books?

None of it made a lick of sense.

Naruto decided to wait for Jiraiya before jumping to any conclusions or allowing himself to fall further to panic. It was his over-reactive nature which had always gotten him into trouble. Also, for all he knew, it could all very well be a prank.

A sick, cruel prank.

Naruto couldn't ignore the name of one Albus Dumbledore and his supposed knowledge of their circumstance. Whatever it was the man claimed to have known about them was either pure happenstance, or something much more troubling.

"You'd better hurry up and get home, old man," Naruto muttered to himself, his previous discourse with Harriett forgotten.

* * *

 **Not much to say on this one other than once again thanking everyone who reviewed.**


	4. Chapter 4

"So, what are we gonna do?" Naruto asked his godfather.

Jiraiya was seated at the head of the kitchen table beneath the lone light hanging overhead, casting the otherwise darkened room in a sickly yellow glow. He was carefully studying the mysterious letter and from where he stood, Naruto could see his eyes dance from side to side across the page repeatedly.

He was silent all the while, unnervingly so, accentuating the low hum of the refrigerator. His face was set in a mask of stoicism, an expression so foreign on his godfather that it almost possessed a sullen quality.

Naruto had only witnessed his godfather display such gravity on a few occasions. He never once doubted the severity of their current predicament, however, seeing his normally aloof godfather behave in such a manner; it was jarring and concerning.

"Did you see anyone when this letter arrived?" Jiraiya asked, finally breaking his terse silence.

"No, just the owl," Naruto said before pausing to consider whether or not he did. "Well, I didn't really look. I did watch it fly away until it disappeared, so I don't know if it landed anywhere."

Jiraiya hummed his acknowledgment but didn't meet his eyes or say anything further as he flipped over to the second half of the letter and inspected it for another stretch of silence. Just when Naruto thought he was going to speak, he only returned his attention back to the first letter.

Naruto was beginning to grow impatient but knew he was in no standing to press his godfather.

"Okay, this is what we're going to do," Jiraiya began, finally looking up to acknowledge him since first reading the letter "Start packing, only the essentials. For now, we'll head deeper into Europe and find somewhere to lay low until I can figure out our next course of action."

Naruto's greatest fear was realized. He didn't want to leave his friend behind, not with the Dursleys and certainly not with such a horrible impression of him.

"But what about Harriett?" Naruto asked. "We can't just leave her with her family!"

"There's nothing we can do about that now, Naruto," Jiraiya said, speaking with a grim cadence to match his expression. "We've been discovered. I don't know by who but it'll be too dangerous to bring her along."

"Why?" Naruto asked, feeling a mixture of frustration and anger rise within him. "We could protect her! And why are we even running anyways? You're a freaking Sage and I have the Kyuubi! We can easily take on anything that comes our way!"

"Don't be stupid, Naruto!" JIraiya snapped, quickly standing to his feet. The abrupt action sent the wooden chair screeching across the tile flooring loudly in the otherwise quiet room, ending in a crash against the wall. His godfather drew in a calming breath but remained visibly angry.

"We can't solve everything with violence. People like us don't exist in this world. If we begin killing everyone who threatens us, or people like that girl's aunt and uncle, then how long before we become the threat? And if we do become a threat, we end up garnering the attention of a government, possibly all governments. Then what? We kill them too, go to war with the entire world? When are you going to learn that our actions have consequences!" He finished, almost shouting again.

Naruto felt unshed tears sting at his eyes and his lower lip threaten to tremble. His godfather had never shouted at him before, at least never in such a serious manner. That, however, was not the main cause of his frustration. He knew he was right and that pained him.

"I know we can't fight everyone," Naruto began following a ragged exhale, "but I don't see why we can't take her with us. She hates the Dursleys and she's not safe with them either. I don't wanna leave her."

"You should have thought about that before completely disregarding my rules. I don't make them just to piss you off, Naruto," Jiraiya said, crossing his arms. "Now stop arguing with me and go gather your things. We're leaving now."

"Not without Harriett," Naruto said.

"I'm not asking you, Naruto. Go pack your shit, now," Jiraiya ordered.

"No."

Naruto tried his best to maintain his composure under the weight of Jiraiya's scrutiny. His godfather could be very intimidating, he was beginning to realize. He had never been on the receiving end of the man's anger before but he could not relent.

He made a promise.

It was a personal promise but it was for Harriett. Naruto promised himself he would protect her, no matter what or the consequences. He would rather not have to fight the world, or even with his godfather, but neither was he willing to forgo his word.

"Naruto," Jiraiya began in warning.

"I'm not leaving her, Jiraiya," Naruto said, resolute in his conviction but unfortunately unmatched in his infliction. "You're right. I know I can't solve everything by fighting and I know I really screwed up this time but I'm not gonna abandon her."

"Damn it Naruto, can't you see that by being around her, you'll only be putting her in more danger," Jiraiya said. "If there really is someone out there looking for us, depending on their intentions, it could get dangerous."

"Maybe," Naruto admitted, "but she's my friend. I promised I would protect her and that's what I'm gonna do. Even if I have to go against you to do it. That's my ninja way."

Their battle of wills continued. Naruto could be stubborn too, especially when it came to who he cared for. Until recently, that didn't constitute much or many people. He was not willing to forgo his friendship with Harriett for any reason.

"Damn your conviction, brat," Jiraiya sighed. "Alright, before we go and start fighting each other, let's head upstairs to your room and see if we can't find any information on whatever the hell witches and wizards are."

He realized his godfather had yet to fully relent but it proved he was at the very least willing to listen. It was all he could rightfully ask for.

"Thank you, Jiraiya-sensei," Naruto said, bowing before his godfather.

"Yeah, yeah," Jiraiya waved him off. "Jeez kid, one day your word is going to get us both killed. And why is it that you're only respectful when you need something?"

Naruto said nothing as they made their way upstairs. He sat himself at the computer and opened the web browser. Feeling very aware that his godfather was looming over his shoulder, he began to type, inquiring first as to what a witch and wizard was.

He clicked on the first article he found.

"According to this, a witch and a wizard is the name for a person with magic," Naruto said, well aware his godfather was reading the screen from over his shoulder. "I think a boy is called a wizard and a girl is a witch."

"Magic?" Jiraiya muttered. "There were many instances in which magic was referenced in that letter. Try to look that up next."

Naruto did as he was asked without a word. He began to tap away at the white keyboard of the computer, only to stop when he felt his godfather smack him in the back of the head. It wasn't hard enough to hurt but it was enough to constitute a glare in his direction.

"What are you doing?" Jiraiya asked.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, palming the back of his head.

"I mean, why are you typing like that?" Jiraiya asked, pointing to his hands.

"Like what?" Naruto asked.

"Why are you typing with your index fingers? It's so inefficient and slow!" Jiraiya said.

"Inefficient?" Naruto muttered in momentary confusion, struggling to recall what the word meant. When he couldn't remember, he became indignant and decided to address his godfather's criticism. "What the hell's wrong with the way I type? It's the only way I know!"

"I already said that it's inefficient!" Jiraiya argued.

"I don't know what that means!" Naruto shouted

"It means you're typing slow!" Jiraiya shouted back.

"Then just say that!"

"I just did!"

"You know what," Naruto began, standing up and aside and motioned to the chair, "why don't you do it then if I'm so damn slow!"

"Alright I will," Jiraiya said, taking the offered seat. "Now, let's find out what this magic stuff is."

Naruto watched as his godfather tapped away at the keyboard rapidly and with no errors. He scoffed and crossed his arms when he shot him a satisfied smirk.

"Show off," he muttered.

"Looks like magic's a broad term but it's main definition is as some sort of supernatural power that grants people the ability to do things," Jiraiya said.

"What kinds of things?" Naruto asked.

"Give me a moment," Jiraiya said as he began to type again. "Says here that in fictional stories, witches and wizards were able to use their magic for many things including fighting, healing, and illusions."

"So like chakra?" Naruto said.

"That's what it seems like. The letter is inviting you to that school; it sounds like a place that teaches people how to use this magic thing," Jiraiya said.

"Look up Hogwarts then," Naruto suggested. "That was the name of it, right?"

"Good idea," Jiraiya said. After performing another search, he leaned back with a confused hum. "Nothing."

"That's weird," Naruto said.

"It is but it also sounds to me like this Hogwarts school might be part of some sort of secret society of magic users. Well, that is assuming any of this is real in the first place," Jiraiya said.

"We've seen crazier back home," Naruto said, personally recalling the many oddities of his home village.

"That's true but from what I've gathered of this world, technology and projectile weaponry is the driving force behind their warfare. Nowhere have I seen any mentions of magic. Though I suppose we can't entirely rule out the possibility of people with the ability to use magic, and if that is the case, then someone out there thinks we can use magic too," Jiraiya said.

"Well they only invited me," Naruto said. "Maybe they have a way to detect chakra and they think it's magic."

"Or what we know as chakra is their magic," Jiraiya said. "I really wish Ma and Pa were here because if they were, I could go into Sage mode and search for other signatures."

Naruto wanted to question exactly why the self-proclaimed spy master was unable to detect chakra, but knew that it was not the time to throw barbs at his godfather.

"What about Albus Dumbledore?" Naruto asked. "Sounds like he's important. Maybe there's something on him?"

"Doubtful but it won't hurt to check," Jiraiya said.

As expected, they found nothing.

Naruto was dreading his godfather's next words. Their search had yielded nothing but more questions than were answered. Even he could see the dangers in such an unknown element knowing who they were.

"Okay," Jiraiya began, "since you're so adamant on keeping that girl safe, this is what we'll do. The woman I work for has offered me the option of room and board on her farm. For now, we'll go there and lay low for a couple of months. If nothing else happens we'll come back."

It wasn't what Naruto wanted but he knew his godfather was already compromising with him as it was.

"I'm okay with that. Thanks again, old man," Naruto said with a smile. "But what about school? There's still a week left."

"As much as I don't like it, you'll have to drop out. If whoever sent the letter knows where we live, there's a good chance they'll know what school you attend," Jiraiya said. "Whatever the case, we really should get going soon."

Naruto sighed in malcontent but he knew there was nothing more he could do in that moment.

"I'll start packing," he announced.

Jiraiya stood and patted his shoulder with a look of understanding.

"Buck up kid, we'll figure all of this out eventually," he reassured.

"I hope so."

* * *

Harriett was elbow deep in the hot and grimy water of the sink. A horrid combination of both steam and her own sweat accumulated on her forehead as she tried her best to clean the burnt residue off of the glass cookware from the casserole her aunt Petunia overcooked the night before. It had been soaking since then and yet, she still struggled to clean the edges.

She recoiled when a hot droplet of greasy water splashed passed her steam obscured glasses, almost falling into her right eye. Harriett groaned and nearly made the mistake of trying to wipe at her eye with her pruned fingers, accidentally dropping the dish into the water as she did so.

"You'd better not be making a mess in there, girl!" Petunia shouted from where she was in the living room with Vernon and Dudley, watching a cartoon after sharing in a breakfast she was not allowed any of.

She was only allowed to have a small lunch as a daily meal, assuring she went to bed hungry and woke up in the same state. It was a part of her punishment for going to the zoo with Naruto.

"I won't," Harriett muttered knowing she couldn't be heard over the sound of the television.

Dudley enjoyed watching his television at high volumes. Harriett was convinced he did so to make her jealous knowing she could never do the same. Watch television, that was.

The cartoon sounded funny but for once, Harriett was actually content with doing the dishes. That was not to say that she wanted to do them, or that she did not want to watch cartoons; however, Dudley had recently come into possession of the walking stick he would use at Smeltings. It was an all-boys school, the very same Vernon once attended.

He had already thwacked her on the head twice and once on her shin. It hurt. She would be much safer doing the dishes for the time being.

She dried her face off with a nearby washcloth and just as she was about to continue, a bird flew by the small kitchen window overlooking the front yard. Harriett didn't see much of the bird aside from a small black blur but she did take the moment to cease her scrubbing to simply enjoy the beauty of the early morning sun.

The orange hue bringing to mind the image of her smiling friend.

Orange was his favorite color.

Unfortunately, that image was unwillingly replaced by the horrible memory of that day at the zoo.

Vernon was coming at them with all the steam of a runaway freight train. His charge was de-railed once Naruto stepped in to protect her, as he always tried to do. He even managed to halt her uncle's advance and eventually ran him off.

Harriett realized why when she called to him.

Naruto scared her with his anger. She knew that it was not directed at her but in that moment, when he turned to her, he was ugly. His face was twisted into a horrifying scowl, teeth barred and for an instant, Harriett could have almost sworn to have seen his normally beautiful blue eyes burn red.

But that could have very well been a trick of the light. Naruto had been facing in the direction of the sun when he turned to her.

Or so she wanted to believe. It was the only rational explanation Harriett could conjure. After all, it wasn't possible for someone to have red eyes.

Unfortunately, all logic was thrown to the wayside every time she saw him at school, the fear she experienced that day returning full force.

Harriett could not help it, no matter how hard she tried. That fear, no matter how prevalent, could not compare to the memory of what she experienced that day. The feeling of absolute dread which overcame her at the sight of Naruto's anger; it was a sensation she was certain she had not imagined.

For that short moment, Harriett fully believed Naruto was going to hurt her.

But he would never do that, of course. Of that much she was certain.

Naruto was kind despite how he presented himself, even if he was quick to anger and somewhat anti-social. Except when in regards to herself. No one in her entire life had ever shown her such care and compassion as he did in such a short time.

So then why couldn't she shake her newfound fear of him?

Nearly four weeks had passed since the incident and school had since ended. Naruto was absent the final week and Harriett couldn't help but feel as though she had missed her opportunity to fix whatever had broken between them.

She missed him more with every passing day.

It was a foreign and conflicting feeling that was ever present in her mind, pestering her as well as making her feel immensely guilty for the way she behaved.

The Dursleys had forbade her from so much as looking in his direction from the very day he entered her life. A sentiment they reinforced through hours of shouts upon their return from the zoo.

But she didn't have to listen to them. At least not at school, at lunch where they had absolutely no way of knowing they shared a table. Yet, she chose to actively avoid Naruto, using her punishment as an excuse.

It was one of her greatest regrets. Harriett wanted nothing more than to speak with her friend again, to apologize for the way she behaved. Above all else, she wanted to see his smile again in the hopes that one of his infectious grins would somehow replace the scary scowl which continued to haunt her.

As a result of her initial punishment, and the close proximity of the neighbors they so despised, the Dursleys had also confined her indoors. It was not so bad when she could see him in school and she was not afraid of him.

Now, with school being out for summer and her aunt and uncle's ever watchful eyes looming over her, there was little hope to actually see her friend for a while. That was unless she decided to sneak out to do so, but she had yet to build up the courage.

Harriett released a dejected sigh at the thought.

Just as she was about to return to the task at hand, she heard the click of the mail slot.

"Mail's here!" She announced.

"Make yourself useful and get it!" Vernon bellowed.

Harriett wanted to say that she could not because she was already doing the dishes but she quickly remembered who she would be saying that to.

She drained the dirty dish water and began drying her hands. When she finally made her way to the hall, she found a small stack of envelopes and a card splayed across the carpet. At first glance, the card was a postcard from Vernon's sister, Marge, who happened to be away on vacation on the Isle of Wight. Bellow that was an envelope that looked like a bill, and then a letter with her name on it.

 _ **Ms. H. Potter**_

 _ **The Cupboard under the Stairs**_

 _ **4 Privet Drive**_

 _ **Little Whinging**_

 _ **Surrey**_

Harriett blinked, almost unbelieving of what she was seeing. Sure enough, there, in pretty green lettering, was her name and address.

"Hurry up, girl!" Vernon shouted from the living room.

Harriett almost tripped over one of Dudley's toys as she made her way to her uncle and handed her the bill and post card. She was so entrapped with the letter in her hand that she almost missed how he snagged the mail from her hand with a huff.

"Marge's ill," Vernon said to Petunia, "ate a funny whelk."

"How absolutely horrible!" Petunia said with audible concern. "Do you think she'll be okay?"

"I'm sure she'll be fine, Marge's strong," Vernon muttered, seemingly uncaring as he tossed aside the post card and began on the next piece of mail.

Harriett had been studying the writing on her letter closely when a sudden thought struck her harder than Dudley's Smelting stick.

The letter must have been from Naruto!

Harriett found herself smiling at the realization. After all, her friend was the only person who really knew of her living situation. His godfather as well, she supposed, but he wouldn't have any reason to be writing to her. At least none that she could think of.

There wasn't a return address on the letter but she supposed that made sense. If the Dursleys realized he was writing her they were likely to tear it up before she could even open it.

Harriett felt a sudden sensation of panic overtake her as she realized as much.

But it was already too late.

"Dad, Mum, Harriett's got a letter!" Dudley announced with a fat finger pointed in her direction.

She was in the process of opening the envelope when it was snatched out of her hand by her uncle Vernon.

"Hey, that's mine!" Harriett shouted as she tried to get back her letter.

Her uncle was already on his feet, crudely tearing open the envelope. Harriett tried again for the letter but a particularly harsh glare from him put an end to that.

"Who would write you anyway, girl?" Vernon questioned sarcastically as he began to read at an angle that would not allow her to do the same. Suddenly, his face seemed to lose all color and his typical vexed expression was quickly replaced by one of horror.

"Petunia!" He stuttered his wife's name.

Dudley was clearly as interested in the contents of the letter as she. He tried reaching for it but Vernon held it high out of his reach. He never could jump too high.

Petunia easily grabbed the letter from her husband and began to read it. Much like Vernon, she appeared to begin to panic. Her beady brown eyes widened as she continued to read the letter and she soon began to sway on her feet.

"Vernon, oh but this cannot be! Vernon please tell me this isn't true!" She pleaded.

Harriett was certain the letter had to have been from Naruto. Vernon was behaving much like he had on they had returned from the zoo. While her uncle's reaction was to be expected, her aunt Petunia's was not.

Her aunt hated Naruto as much as her husband did but she did not seem to fear him in the same way.

Dudley seemed to grow tired of being ignored, something he wasn't used to, and used his stick to smack his father directly on the head. The sound produced by the action was surprisingly loud and for a moment, Harriett was shocked.

"I want to read it!" He demanded loudly.

"No!" Harriett replied without really thinking as she was brought back to the matter of her letter. "It's mine and I want it back!"

"Get out, the both of you," Vernon muttered as he crudely stuffed the letter back into the envelope.

Now more than ever, Harriett was resolute in knowing exactly what that letter contained. Be it from Naruto or not.

"I want my letter now!" She demanded in a shout.

"Give it here!" Dudley also shouted.

"I said out!" Vernon shouted even louder, quite possibly the loudest she had ever heard. Dudley jumped and even Petunia seemed to flinch.

Before Harriett even realized it, her uncle had grabbed both herself and Dudley by the collar. He proceeded to push them into the hallway before grabbing a hold of his wife's hand and roughly pulled her up the stairs.

Briefly, she and Dudley shared a look before pushing at each other to reach the stairs. Dudley, weighing nearly twice as she, won by pushing her against the wall, knocking the wind out of her momentarily.

Once she regained her breath, she ran upstairs to find Dudley occupying the keyhole to his parent's room. Almost immediately she dropped to her belly to listen at the crack between the door and the floor.

Harriett strained to hear the harsh whispers above Dudley's and her own labored breaths.

"Do you suppose he's one of them?" Petunia asked.

"Could be, you didn't see that little monster that day, Petunia. His eyes-" Vernon trailed off into unintelligible mutters.

"What are we going to do?" Petunia asked.

"Ignore it for now. It's all we can do," Vernon said.

Harriett was unable to hear anything else. Soon after Vernon swung the door open looking as red as she had ever witnessed. Though surprisingly he didn't shout at her, he only sent Dudley to his room and her to the cupboard.

The following day was one filled with surprises.

She had been in the dark of her cupboard, chastising herself for not having the foresight to open it in the hallway when suddenly there was a knock at her door. Initially Harriett was confused because no one ever knocked at her door. Dudley would occasionally kick it whenever he walked by and her aunt Petunia would slam her fist on the door before proceeding to screech her orders.

Her uncle Vernon on the other hand, never came to her room personally. If he wanted something done, his orders were usually relayed via a booming shout, or through his wife.

When she opened the door, she found him standing in the hallway, awkwardly crouched as much as his large body would allow. The smile on his face unnerved Harriett for how painfully false it was, and just how foreign it looked when directed at her.

She immediately inquired about the letter and just as quickly, her uncle Vernon dismissed it as a simple case of mistaken identity. He claimed that it was not meant for her and only silenced her when she pointed out the fact that it was addressed to her room beneath the stairs.

More surprisingly yet, Vernon offered her Dudley's second bedroom. Though she was given little choice in the matter, Harriett found herself in the room filled with her cousin's broken toys.

Ordinarily, she would have been ecstatic at finally having a room, even if it was packed with junk. The bed was almost new and there was a bookshelf containing books that appeared as though they had never been touched.

Dudley, of course, had not been happy at the new arrangement but his cries and demands were ignored for the first time ever.

Harriett was unsure of what to make of the Dursley's behavior following the arrival of the letter. Beyond offering her a room; they were actively trying to be nice to her. She was even relieved of her punishment, Petunia proclaimed as she served her a proper breakfast.

Then, when the mail arrived, Vernon sent Dudley to retrieve it with a look that left no room for arguments.

"She's got another one! This one's for Ms. H. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive!" He shouted from the hallway.

Vernon proceeded to spit out his coffee, managing to splatter his wife.

Harriett would have found the scene humorous if not for her uncle's scramble to beat her to the letter Dudley held above his head. Vernon was surprisingly nimble despite his massive size, snatching the letter from his son before he could open it.

She was promptly sent to her new room before she could even ask to see it. Harriett spent the rest of the day trying to decipher whether or not it was Naruto who was sending the letters. Though she was unsure of just how he would know she moved rooms.

The answer never came to her. Instead, Harriett decided to find out herself by setting the alarm so she could sneak out to meet the postman.

She wasn't entirely ready to face Naruto and if it turned out he wasn't the one writing her, she would soon find out who it was.

That plan, however, was ruined the moment she stepped on her uncle's face. He had somehow managed to anticipate her plan and as a result, decided to camp out at the front door.

He shouted at her but again, she was not punished. Her uncle only had her make him a cup of tea and when she returned with it, he had already torn up the letter that was meant for her.

The following Monday Vernon elected to stay home to intercept any more letters. Sure enough, another arrived and was torn before her eyes. The next two days played out similarly until on the third day, her uncle decided to nail the mail slot shut.

That didn't stop the letters from coming.

Harriett cursed her bad luck. Petunia had managed to find the letters pushed through the small window in the downstairs bathroom.

It appeared as though nothing they could think of doing was stopping the letters. Not even when Vernon called the post office to complain about their chosen delivery methods.

Everything came to a head one Sunday morning.

Vernon had been the most content she had seen him all week, smiling with rosy red cheeks as he whistled a jovial tune, enjoying a hearty breakfast.

"No mail on Sunday!" He announced happily when Dudley had asked just why he was so happy.

His happiness was short lived when suddenly a letter shot out of the kitchen chimney, hitting him in the back of the head. They all shared in a short moment of confusion before chaos erupted. Dozens of letters began streaming into the room from the chimney, raining yellow envelopes down upon them.

Petunia had grabbed hold of her while Vernon grabbed Dudley, ushering them out into the hallway while they worked on destroying all of the letters. When they finally came back out, her uncle was red-faced and out of breath while her aunt's hair was frazzled and she sported at least one bandage on each of her fingers.

Vernon had finally had enough.

Harriett stared at Naruto's home from the backseat of the speeding car, feeling tears pool in her eyes at the sight of the real-estate sign advertising the availability of his home. The matter of the letter was all but forgotten as she came to a horrible realization.

He was gone.

* * *

Naruto sneezed as he stabbed the shovel in the mound of dirt with an audible crunch and made to wipe his nose on the long sleeve of his grey wool sweater.

"Why is it so damn cold already?" He muttered to himself. "It was warm just a few days ago."

The sky was dreary and overcast one early Monday morning.

It had been close to a month since they left Ten Privet Drive to live at Jiraiya's place of employment, a small sheep farm about a half hour's train ride from the city.

Personally, Naruto felt more at ease on the countryside. There were less people and more nature and animals. Though he was never particularly fond of either back in the Elemental Nations, it reminded him more of his village hidden in the leaves.

But he had Harriett to return to and eventually his own world. He knew better than to get comfortable.

"Stop lazing around, Naruto we have to finish this barn before this storm comes in!" Jiraiya said.

Naruto looked over to his godfather who was busy casting a rope over the support beam of the undamaged section of the old barn they were repairing.

The barn was a medium sized structure with three walls and a large opening in the front. A section of the old barn had collapsed some years back and neither of the elder couple were able to fix it. Despite the damage, the old barn somehow managed to stay upright. It housed an old horse, a cow for milk, and some hens for eggs.

"The hole's done!" Naruto shouted back.

"Is it at least three feet deep?" Jiraiya asked.

"I know how to dig a hole!" Naruto griped.

"Stop your complaining and come pull it up and hold it while I bolt it in place," Jiraiya ordered.

Naruto wanted to argue the fact that he was not complaining but a particularly harsh gust of cold, saturated wind reminded him of the incoming storm. He helped his godfather position the support post in the hole he made before grabbing ahold the rope.

He pulled with far more effort than he would have liked. Had he the use of his chakra to infuse and strengthen his body with, the task wouldn't have been the least bit difficult.

As he was without his augmentation, Naruto dug his shoes into the soft black dirt and pulled with everything he had. For a few moments, it felt as though the structure would not budge; until it finally did.

With a final heave he pulled the wall into place and held it while Jiraiya bolted it.

When it was done Naruto let go of the rope and looked at his aching hands. They were red from slight rope-burn but it was nothing he couldn't deal with. He shook them, already feeling the pain begin to fade.

"Good job, kid," Jiraiya said, roughly patting him on the back. "All we've got to do now is secure the foundation with some concrete but that'll have to wait until after the storm passes."

"That's great but how much longer are we going to be staying here, old man?" Naruto asked. "It's almost been a month and we haven't gotten another letter. It was probably a stupid prank."

"Maybe," Jiraiya said, "but we'll talk about this later," he finished, motioning to the approach of a woman.

Naruto released a frustrated sigh but said nothing else.

Every time he asked his godfather of their possible return home, he would either say they needed more time, or he would deflect to avoid the subject. Jiraiya absolutely refused to give him a concrete date on when it would be safe to return.

Naruto was growing more impatient as the days came and went. Harriett's birthday was fast approaching and he was hoping to sneak her a gift to accompany his apology. Once he secured the latter, he would work on finding a way to free her from the Dursley's grasps.

"I've got something that'll warm you boys right up!" The woman called out.

Janice Thatcher was a short and rotund elder woman with dark, greying hair and expression lines on her face from a lifetime of smiles. In her hands were two white porcelain mugs she offered them once she finally reached them.

"Coffee for you!" Janice said, offering Jiraiya his cup before turning to him with a kind expression and his own steaming mug. "And hot chocolate for you."

"Thank you," Jiraiya said.

Naruto did the same.

Janice placed her hands on her hips and inspected the work with a look of approval.

"My but you boys are strong! I saw everything from the house while I was making your drinks," she said, looking at Naruto. "That wall must have been very heavy."

"Naruto here may be short but he's built like an ox!" Jiraiya said with a laugh, throwing an arm over his shoulder, patting it again.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at his godfather for nearly making him spill his chocolate and shrugged out of his grasp.

He also was none too pleased at the mention of his height. He was well aware he was short for his age and wasn't fond of being reminded of the fact. Jiraiya credited his short height to his near strict diet of instant ramen. The dried-up bits of vegetable flakes thrown in was hardly a substitute for a balanced meal.

While he greatly enjoyed ramen, there was a reason why he chose to eat it as often as he had. It was inexpensive and required only boiling water and patients to prepare.

It wasn't until he began his trip with his godfather that he was finally able to enjoy meats and vegetables, along with the occasional fruit. Since then he'd grown a whole two inches, he'd measured.

"Such a well-mannered boy too!" Janice said, patting his cheek. "Helping your father work; not many children would do that."

"Thank you," Naruto muttered, feeling genuinely flustered by the woman's kindness and praise.

"You are very welcome, lad. Now, I just wanted to let you boys know that I'm about to head into town. Gonna buy a few more things I needed for tonight's dinner. We've got much to celebrate with the completion of the barn!" Janice exclaimed.

If there was something positive about their move out to the countryside with Janice on her farm, it would be their shared meals. The kind woman insisted they share in at least dinner together. She was a great cook and Naruto enjoyed the woman's flair for telling stories.

Janice Thatcher was none for nonsense but she had a heart of gold and her personality reflected as much.

"Do you mind if I come along?" Jiraiya asked. "I need to buy a few things myself."

"I'd prefer the company!" Janice beamed.

"What about you, kid?" Jiraiya asked. "You wanna come along?"

"No thanks. I'm gonna take a shower before dinner," Naruto said.

"Then it's settled!" Janice said. "We'll be back before long. Feel free to have yourself a snack but remember, keep that appetite now. I'm making lamb!"

Naruto watched the two drive away in Janice's old pick-up truck, listening to it backfire twice before finally disappearing over the rolling green hills. Once they were gone, he made his way to the cozy brick home.

He was immediately greeted by the pleasant warmth of the stone hearth, the scent of coffee, and Janice's dog. His name was Rupert of all things, a young white pup with a black spot around his right eye. Naruto was unsure of his breed as he didn't look like any he'd seen or researched before. When he asked Janice, she affectionately referred to him as a mutt.

"Hey there, boy," Naruto greeted the dog by scratching behind his ears in the way he knew Rupert liked. His tailed thumped lightly on the wooden floor and he panted happily, yipping a couple of times as a result of his young age.

Rupert followed him into the kitchen where Naruto began washing both his and Jiraiya's mugs. He just finished placing them into the cabinet when he heard a distant rumbling.

He paused to listen in the silence of the home, hearing the distant clucks of the hens, and the long drawl of the cow. Sure enough, he heard what sounded like the roar of an engine fast approaching.

For a moment, Naruto thought perhaps Janice and Jiraiya had forgotten something and were returning. However, as the sound approached, he realized that it did not sound like the old pickup.

He began to grow nervous as the sound grew louder. Janice's farm was remote with only one road leading to and from it. They usually didn't get visitors, only the postman and once a distant neighbor looking to trade lumber for some of Janice's homemade butter and some wool.

Even though Naruto was beginning to believe the letter they had received earlier was a coincidental prank, he was ever cautious.

Finally, the sound reached its peak, ending right outside of the home, close and loud enough to rattle the dishes inside the cabinets. Naruto didn't recognize what vehicle the sound could possibly belong to but he did know that it was not familiar.

Whatever it was, it certainly didn't sound like the postman's car or the neighbor's truck.

Abruptly, the engine cut out, leaving behind only the sounds of livestock trotting outside.

Naruto bit his left thumb and dragged it across the palm of his right hand. A circular black seal appeared where his blood was now smeared and in a plume of smoke and a pop, one of his father's blades appeared.

The blood seal was the only one he could use because it did not actually require any chakra to operate. There was no use in possibly exposing himself for what may very well be a neighbor he had yet to meet.

Naruto was halfway to the door when it was abruptly rattled by a series of knocks. Rupert reached the door before him and began to yip in excitement. He followed after the dog, hiding his weapon in the righthand pocket of his blue jeans, blade side up.

"Who is it?" Naruto called from just behind the door.

"Names Hagrid," a deep and gruff voice responded cheerfully. "M'ere to speak to, erm, a Mr. Na-roo-too, U-Uzu-ma-kee, and 'is parents."

Naruto felt his stomach drop at the words. There weren't many that should have known his name beyond Harriett and his school, and absolutely no one should have known where they were currently living.

Before offering a response, he thought back to his godfather's words. Jiraiya instructed he try and think logically before acting. It wouldn't do him well to fall to panic for what could amount to nothing.

After all, it was entirely possible the man was a representative of his school. He had missed the final week, after all.

That, however, did not explain how they knew where they were currently staying.

With this is mind, he readied himself in the event he was not simply being paranoid. Naruto tightened his hold on the blade and opened the door. He found himself immediately bewildered at what he saw.

Standing just beyond the door, hunched slightly under the porch, was a very large man. He was taller than his godfather, who was up until that moment, the tallest man he had ever encountered. Beyond being tall, the man was wide, with shoulders broader than the width of the door frame.

The man had long, scraggly and greasy jet-black hair with an equally bushy beard and mustache. Both his hair and beard seemed to coalesce into a mane around his face.

His clothes were just as disheveled as his hair. He wore a large and raggedy coat above a darker brown wool shirt, held tightly together by large golden buttons. Around his large belly was a black leather belt with a large golden buckle. Beneath all of that he wore a pair of equally worn beige pants and near knee-high boots.

"Evening," the giant man greeted with rosy red cheeks and a friendly smile.

Naruto was in silent awe of the man's sheer size.

Rupert took that opportunity to shoot past his feet to greet the man himself, leaning up on his tree trunk-like legs with excited yips, managing to reach only his shins. The giant dropped to one knee, shaking the wooden foundation of the porch as he did so, and began to chuckle and pet the dog. His large hand encompassing the pup's entire head, his laughs reverberating the wood beneath his feet.

"Ain't ya just a good boy!" The man said as he continued to pet the dog.

In that instant, Naruto returned to his senses. Though the size of the man was certainly intimidating, his cheerful demeanor was disarming. In his pocket he relinquished his hold on the blade and wiped his sweaty hand on his jeans.

He knew to remain alert nonetheless.

"Hey there," Naruto began slowly. "I'm Naruto. My god – I mean my father isn't home at the moment. Can I ask who you are?"

"O'course!" The man grunted as he stood, bumping his head on the tin roof of the porch. "Oh, sorry 'bout tha," he apologized with an embarrassed chuckle. "Name's Hagrid and I'm 'ere to speak to ya 'bout Hogwarts."

Naruto was immediately on edge again. He pocketed his right hand, gripping the blade once more and allowed his left hand to fall limp to his side, opened and positioned to form a Rasengan should he need to. He took a cautious step back into the home before clearing his throat nervously.

"W-Were," he cleared his throat again, "were you the one who sent that letter?"

"Nah, I don't do tha," Hagrid said dismissively. "I'm the gamekeeper at Hogwarts ya see, very important it is. But right now, I'm on a special mission from Dumbledore 'imself!" He stated very proudly.

This further concerned Naruto.

"What kind of special mission?" He asked.

"I'm 'ere to - " Hagrid abruptly paused and shook his head. "Not supposed to say. Doesn't concern ya; no offense, o'course. Hogwarts business 'n all tha."

"Right," Naruto elongated the word in confusion. "Then why are you here? And what exactly is Hogwarts and who is Dumbledore?"

"And thas why I'm 'ere!" The man chuckled. "Now, normally I don't do this but I was gonna be in the area and the person they sent to meet with ya, couldn't find ya. Ain't got much people to spare this time o'year. So, ya mind if I come in and take a load off? A bit tired from riding all day I am."

Naruto looked behind the large man to see the source of the tremendous ruckus from before; a silver motorcycle with a side-car.

"Let me get this straight, you're here to tell me about Hogwarts?" He asked. The man's way of speaking wasn't the easiest to follow but he was able to surmise as much.

"Thas right!" Hagrid said.

"What about magic? Do you know what magic is?" Naruto asked.

"Course I do!" Hagrid said, puffing out his chest. "I may not 'ave my wand no more but I can still use it!" Suddenly, he appeared sheepish. "Erm, don't tell nobody 'bout that, will ya?"

Wand?

"Sure thing, but just to be clear, you'll answer any questions I have about all of this stuff?" Naruto tried to reaffirm. "About wizards and magic, I mean."

"As best I can!" Hagrid said.

Naruto hoped he would not regret what he was about to do.

"Come in," he said, moving aside to let the giant man in.

The entire home seemed to shake as the man walked, still hunched over and when he sat down on the sofa, it groaned and lurched beneath his weight.

"Tha coffee I smell?" Hagrid asked following a loud sniffle.

"Yeah, want a cup?" Naruto offered.

Just because he was being cautious didn't mean he couldn't be courteous. Until Hagrid proved otherwise, the large man seemed nice enough.

"I'd love one!"

Naruto returned with a cup of coffee to find Rupert on Hagrid's lap. The man was smiling and cooing at the dog, speaking to him as though one would a child. It was obvious the man loved dogs.

"Did you want any sugar or creamer?" He asked what he forgot to earlier.

"Got everything I need right 'ere, thank you very much!" Hagrid said as he reached into his coat, drawing out a dented silver flask. He accepted the cup, took a drink until only half remained, before he refilled it to the brim with an amber substance.

He proceeded to down it all in a single swig, finishing with a loud sigh of content.

"Do you, uh, do you want another?" Naruto asked.

"No thank you," Hagrid said, carefully placing the cup onto the table. "Still gotta do some drivin. So! What do ya wanna know first?"

Many questions flooded his mind in that moment and Naruto wanted to ask them all at once. As he knew that was impossible, he decided to begin with what he considered to be the most important question.

Naruto seated himself directly across Hagrid. The angle in which he was seated didn't allow him to continue to hold on to his blade so he focused on the memory of the seal he had left behind in his room on Ten Privet Drive, should he have to escape.

"What's a witch and a wizard?" He decided to ask first.

That questioned seemed to perplex the giant man.

"Er, well, a witch is a girl and wizard is a boy," Hagrid said as though it was something he should have known.

"No, what I'm asking is, what is a wizard and what do they do?" Naruto asked, hoping he clarified himself enough.

"Oh, I see. Well, a wizard is a boy who can use magic," Hagrid explained.

Though it was hardly an explanation. So far all he was receiving was answers he'd already discovered online.

"And what is magic?" Naruto asked.

"Magic is," Hagrid trailed off, his face twisted in deep contemplation. "This is 'arder than I thought it'd be. Might as well show ya, easier that way, I suppose."

Hagrid reached into his coat and pulled out a large loaf of moldy bread.

"That's not it," he chuckled before taking a bite off the end and stuffing it back inside his coat.

Naruto felt himself grow momentarily nauseous in remembrance. There was a time in his life where he had little else to eat other than moldy food.

After a few more moments of rummaging through his coat, he finally pulled out a dusty and dilapidated black umbrella that shouldn't have been able to fit inside undisturbed.

"'Ere it is!" Hagrid announced proudly. He looked over at Naruto with a sly grin and cupped his mouth with his free hand. "This stays 'tween ya an me, ya 'ere? Not supposed to use magic outside Hogwarts."

"Uh, yeah, sure," Naruto said.

"Right then, this is magic! Hagrid said as he waved the end of the umbrella to the white porcelain mug that he had just sat down. There was a brief blue flash which emanated from the tip of the umbrella and then, nothing else.

Naruto looked between the man and the coffee mug, feeling confused. Hagrid appeared to be deeply concentrating on something. He was unaware of what.

Suddenly, the cup began to rattle. Naruto was amazed and somewhat horrified to see it fall over on its own, shaking some more before it sprouted four small furry white legs and a pink tail at its base.

"What the fuck?" Naruto jumped to his feet as it began to approach the end of the table.

"Language," Hagrid shook a large finger at him.

"What the hell is that thing?" Naruto asked, jumping on the sofa as it neared the edge of the table, far too close for comfort. "What did you do?"

"That's better, I suppose," Hagrid huffed. "And that, Nu-ru-two, is magic!"

"It's Naruto," he quickly clarified. "But that's magic? It turns things into animals?"

"Tha and much more. Suppose you'll 'ave to attend Hogwarts to learn more," Hagrid said.

"And Hogwarts is a school that teaches magic?" Naruto said, voicing his assumption.

"Thas right! Albus Dumbledore is the 'eadmaster," Hagrid explained with a large grin. "A good man 'e is!"

Naruto allowed himself to fall back into his seat, ever cautious of the rat cup hybrid which was now roaming the table aimlessly. He felt his head begin to build pressure. It wasn't quite a headache but he suspected it would eventually lead to one.

He had one more question and it was the most concerning.

"In the letter," Naruto began nervously. "It said something about this Albus guy knowing about our special circumstance. What does that mean?"

"Special circumstance?" Hagrid muttered in confusion. Realization soon came to him and he palmed his forehead. "Thas right! Muggle-borns get that version of the letter 'cause they don't know 'bout the wizarding world."

"Muggle-born?" Naruto questioned. "What's a muggle?"

"A muggle is the name we 'ave for those born without magic. Most don't know we even exist, unless o'course they 'ave family who can use magic," Hagrid explained. "A muggle-born is exactly what it sounds like. A witch or a wizard born to muggle parents."

Despite making little sense, Naruto managed to understand the general idea of what the giant man was trying to tell him.

"Are you a muggle-born too?" He asked.

"Not exactly," Hagrid began slowly. "I'm what ya'd call a half-blood but I'd rather not get into tha' if it's all the same to ya. Not much for such names, ya see."

"I understand," Naruto said. And he did. He had grown up being called by many names, most derogatory. He much preferred being referred to by the name his mother and father had chosen for him.

Even if it so happened to also be the name of a ramen topping.

Aside from understanding, Naruto found himself swelling with relief. From what he could gather from his short conversation with Hagrid, whoever Albus Dumbledore was; he didn't necessarily know who they were.

"Wait a minute, are you saying I can use magic?" Naruto asked, mentally chastising himself for having allowed that to slip his mind.

"Course! Yer a wizard, Nay-ru-too!"

"It's," Naruto sighed, "never mind. How do you know I'm a wizard?" Naruto asked.

"Well, ya got the letter, didn't ya?" Hagrid asked with both visible and audible confusion.

"Yeah but – I guess what I'm asking is, how does this Albus guy know I'm a wizard?" Naruto asked.

"It's Dumbledore to ya students," Hagrid corrected sternly. "And tha is decided by the Quill of Acceptance and the Book of Admittance. It's a book and quill that somehow know who all's a witch and wizard. It's said no one really knows 'ow it works, only tha it does. There's no getting into Hogwarts without yer name being written in that book, by tha quill."

That comforted Naruto even more. Though he was still unsure if his chakra constituted magic, it was becoming more likely no one knew who they really were.

"So, is there no other way to know if someone has magic?" Naruto asked.

"Not tha I know of," Hagrid said after a moment's consideration. "Less ya openly use magic and someone sees ya!"

That was promising to hear.

"I guess I've got one more question," Naruto said.

"Good, cause I gotta get going soon. Gotta pick up a birthday present for someone," Hagrid said.

"Okay, well, this whole magic thing; with the witches and wizards. Does anyone else know about it?" Naruto asked. "I mean I couldn't find anything about Hogwarts or magic when I looked it up."

"Aye. Long ago it was decided that muggles and the magical world could no longer live together. Us wizards go through a lotta trouble to keep muggles from finding us out." Hagrid explained.

"How?" Naruto asked.

"Spells I suppose," Hagrid said with a shrug. "Don't really know 'ow it's done, if I'm being 'onest."

"Spells?"

"It's another word for usin magic," Hagrid said before standing to his feet, nearly hitting the ceiling again. "If that's all yer questions, I just need yer answer."

"What answer?" Naruto asked.

"Are ya going to Hogwarts or not?" Hagrid asked.

Naruto had yet to consider that. His immediate response was to deny but he stopped himself before he could speak.

Hogwarts sounded like a place he could learn many things concerning his chakra, or magic. He still wasn't sure if they were the same thing.

Regardless, if Hagrid could make the coffee mug sprout legs with magic, then there was no telling what he could accomplish with it. Perhaps, and most importantly, a way home?

"Actually, I have one more question," Naruto said.

"Make it quick now," Hagrid huffed. "I really must be going."

"Does Hogwarts teach teleportation magic?" Naruto asked.

"Teleportation magic?" Hagrid repeated. "Not sure what tha is, but it's possible. Hogwarts teaches lot's a things, ya see. With magic, anything is possible!"

This time, Naruto had to stop himself from automatically agreeing to attend. He couldn't go to Hogwarts without his godfather's consent and he was highly doubtful Jiraiya would be so willing to let him go off into the unknown.

"How long do I have to decide if I want to attend?" Naruto asked. "Cause I'd have to ask my father."

Once again, Hagrid palmed his forehead with a loud smack.

"Thas right, I was supposed to talk to yer parents. Was also supposed to take ya shopin for yer things should ya decide to attend," Hagrid said. "When did ya say yer father would be back?"

"Not sure, really. He just went into town before you showed up," Naruto said.

"I'm gonna be late to choose 'er birthday present!" Hagrid muttered sadly. "Still gotta take 'er, 'er letter, too."

"You have to see someone else today?" Naruto asked.

"Preferably today, at the latest tomorrow, on 'er birthday," Hagrid bemoaned.

"Whose birthday are you talking about, if you don't mind my asking?" Naruto inquired. Harriett's birthday was also on the next day but he knew that was merely coincidence.

After all, there was no way they were talking about the same person.

"Suppose it wouldn't 'urt to tell ya, being a muggle and all. It's not like ye'd know 'er," Hagrid said, looking down to regard him. "She's very famous in the wizarding world, 'er name's Harriett Potter."

Naruto stared up at the giant man with eyes widened in surprise, wondering if he had heard him right.

"Did you just say Harriett Potter?" He asked.

"Aye, I did. Don't suppose ya know 'er?" Hagrid asked with a chortle.

"Actually, I do!" Naruto said. "She's my best friend!"

At least he hoped she still regarded him as such. Knowing what he did now, Naruto was feeling much more confident that they could return back to their home on Ten Privet Drive.

"We talking 'bout the same Harriett Potter?" Hagrid asked.

"Maybe?" Naruto muttered, suddenly unsure. Harriett, famous? He loved the girl with all of his heart but he could not see his friend being at all famous. Not with the way the Dursleys treated her; locking her away in the room beneath the stairs.

"She's short and skinny, has black hair and wears glasses." Naruto said, offering a short description of his friend.

"'Aven't seen 'er since she was a wee baby. Wouldn't know 'ow she would look now," Hagrid said, suddenly sounding sad. "Does she 'appen to 'ave a scar on 'er forehead, one in the shape of a lightning bolt?"

"Not that I know of," Naruto said, feeling concerned. He was beginning to hope that they were not speaking of the same girl because if they were, that meant his friend had a scar. "We live on Privet Drive, if that helps. I lived at Ten and Harriett lives at Four, with her aunt and uncle; the Dursleys."

"Thas 'er!" Hagrid exclaimed following a gasp. "I'm suppose ta find 'er to deliver her letter from Hogwarts."

"Then that means Harriett's a witch!" Naruto concluded.

Which also meant she was going to be attending Hogwarts.

Then so was he.

"Hey Hagrid," Naruto began.

"Aye lad?" Hagrid only barely acknowledged him. It was apparent the man was also reeling from the revelation.

"Do you mind if I come with you?"

He only hoped his godfather would understand.

* * *

Harriett was shivering on the cold hard floor of the small shack her uncle Vernon had stuffed them all in. He was in the only room with her aunt while she and Dudley slept in the living room.

Dudley was given the couch, she the floor and a thin, dirty sheet Petunia had found balled up in the corner of their room.

Her aunt and uncle's attempts at being nice to her hadn't lasted very long. In fact, it ended the moment they left Privet Drive, as did Harriet's own determination to discover what all those letters contained.

Naruto was gone.

It was all she could think about since she'd seen that sign. Her first, best, and only friend in the entire world was gone and she was likely to never see him again.

Harriett had cried about the fact the entire trip, up until they stopped at the hostel to sleep for the night. If she could help it, she didn't want anyone to see her cry.

Her aunt and uncle didn't seem to notice her tears but surprisingly, Dudley had. He didn't do or say anything about it and that was what she found odd. Her cousin was never one to pass up the opportunity to mock her.

Whatever the reason, Harriett was thankful for the reprieve. Her spirits were already low, lower than the floor she found herself lying directly on. On her mind the memories of everything Naruto did for her, and just how loved and special he made her feel.

Along with the memories came the image of his brilliant smile. Only now, unlike before, the fear she felt towards him never resurfaced. Not even when she recalled his angry face. All Harriett felt now aside from overwhelming sadness, was regret.

That's how she'd spent the previous two days since her uncle Vernon whisked them away on a madman's scramble to escape the letters. Doing what she should have since that day at the zoo and that was remembering all the positives instead of fearing the negatives.

Her birthday was coming up soon, in less than ten minutes, according to Dudley's glow in the dark watch, and it was only fitting that there was a thunderstorm bearing down on the shack, threatening to collapse it. Fitting that she was on the floor with little but her clothes separating her from the cold, moist, and unforgiven floorboards.

Fitting that once again, Harriett Potter was alone.

With renewed heartache and sobs bubbling from within her, Harriett began to count down from ten. She paused at five seconds for a premature birthday wish, even if there were no candles to be blown out, much less a cake.

Her only wish was to see her friend at least one more time.

Though she knew better than to expect anything. Since first learning of the concept of a birthday wish, Harriett had been wishing for only one thing. That was for a better life.

Each year her wishes went unanswered and just when she'd thought to have found a semblance of happiness, it was fleeting. She was heavily considering simply accepting the fact that she was never meant to be happy.

When Harriett's count finally reached its end, she shut her eyes and decided to wish one last time. With every fiber of her being, she wished for Naruto. Wanting nothing more than to have him come and rescue her. To take her away from it all.

As the seconds ticked by, Harriett felt her heart break as she welcomed another year of disappointment and loneliness.

Then again, she really should have known better than to believe in magic.

Just as the thought crossed her mind, the door to the shack burst clear off the frame, falling onto the floor with a loud slam. Then, something magical occurred.

Standing at the door, hair matted down and soaking wet, was her best friend, Naruto Uzumaki.

* * *

 **I want to start off by once again apologizing for the wait. I also wanted to thank everyone who has followed, favorite, and taken the time to review this story. Be it positive or critical. Each and every review helped inspire me to continue writing, even when I was tired or simply didn't want to.**

 **Now, I just want to reiterate that I'm still very much an amateur when it comes to writing and I hope you forgive any errors or inconsistencies you may find. I'm always trying to do better but with a full-time job and school coming up, I have very little time to actually devote to this.**

 **That being said, I once again want to thank everyone who's enjoying my story so far. I'll pick up the pace soon, I promise. I just didn't want to rush anything.**

 **And to those who decide to drop this story for whatever reason; I understand and thank you for your time.**

 **Until next time.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm a little late, aren't I? Sorry about that.**

* * *

"Oh crap!" Naruto stepped inside the shack and made to quickly pick up the door. "Didn't mean to do that!"

"Tha's what 'appens when ya kick a door, lad," Hagrid said as he ducked into the room behind him. "Couldn't ya 'ave just knocked first?"

Naruto didn't respond to the giant's inquiry. He was too busy staring at his friend seated on the floor, wrapped up in a dirty blanket that did nothing to hinder her shivers. Her large, jade eyes regarded him behind pooled tears.

"Harriett," Naruto began slow in his speech and approach.

"N-Naruto?" Harriett muttered in disbelief.

Naruto mistook it for fear. He felt his heart constrict almost painfully in his chest at her expression but he was no longer willing to allow his fear to dictate his actions.

"Harriett, I'm sorry," Naruto said, continuing his slow approach.

He had only made it halfway to his friend before she bolted towards him, jumping onto him. Although surprised, Naruto easily caught her and immediately returned her embrace.

"You came," Harriett muttered through sobs. "You're really here."

"I'm not going anywhere anymore," Naruto reassured her quietly. "Everything's gonna be okay now, I-"

"You!"

Naruto startled seeing Vernon appear from within a separate room, a rifle in hand. He pointed it in his direction, their direction, and took aim. He quickly turned his back to the gun, holding Harriett tight, he tried to push past his panic to focus on the seal he left behind in his room, on Janice's farm.

Naruto closed his eyes to concentrate, drawing forth as much chakra as he could, as quickly as he could. However, before he could muster the enormous amount of chakra his teleportation technique required, he heard Hagrid's thunderous footsteps pass him.

"None of tha!" Hagrid exclaimed, moving quickly for his size. He reached Vernon in only four long strides, gripping the barrel of the rifle, bending it into the shape of an L before pulling it from out of his grasp.

Naruto saw the rifle clatter uselessly across the floor.

Jiraiya warned him of the dangers of the world's firearms. Said danger had not set in until they arrived on Janice's farm. The woman owned a rifle to ward away any predators trying to harass the livestock. The rate at which the munitions traveled was far too quickly for either to follow. As such, avoiding a gunshot would not be easy, if at all possible.

Had Vernon fired at him, both he and Harriett could have been seriously injured, if not worse.

That was all Naruto could focus on.

"Stay here," Naruto said, gently placing Harriett down. He could feel the beast's influence clawing at his restraint, fanning his anger but he did not allow it to go any further.

"Naruto, wait!" Harriett called out after him.

But he was already set in his task. Naruto continued to approach Vernon, who was shaking beneath Hagrid's imposing figure. His panic seemed to double when he finally noticed him.

"Stay away from me you monster!" Vernon cried out.

Naruto crossed the remaining distance quickly, using his momentum to bury his fist into the rotund man's stomach. With a sharp exhale, Vernon fell to his knees with a resounding thud.

"Naruto, please don't hurt him!" Harriett pleaded.

"You should really thank Harriett," Naruto said, grasping the man's hair to keep his focus on him, "because if she and your family weren't here. I would have done much, much worse!"

He punctuated his threat by slamming Vernon's head against the wall before releasing him. He slumped forward, a quivering, whimpering mess. Naruto had the sudden urge to kick him while he was down and was just about to when he felt a pair of small arms enclose around him.

"That's enough," Harriett whispered into his back. "Please don't hurt him anymore."

Naruto sighed, allowing her to pull him back a couple of steps before he turned to hug her again.

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

"It's okay, I'm just glad you're here," Harriett said.

"I didn't scare you again, did I?" Naruto asked, wondering if his lapse in judgment worsened his standing with his friend.

Harriett didn't respond immediately, worrying him, though she didn't lesson her hold on him.

"I know you did it for me," she spoke in a near whisper, "and I know my uncle and aunt aren't good people, but please don't hurt anyone for me."

"I'm sorry," Naruto repeated. "About everything. That day, I didn't mean to scare you," he said, holding her tighter in the hope she would understand.

"No," Harriett pulled back to look up at him, her eyes burning, "I'm the one who should be sorry! I shouldn't have ever tried to ignore you."

"Yeah well, it's not like it wasn't my fault," Naruto admitted pulling back to palm the back of his head nervously. Suddenly, he could no longer continue staring into her large eyes and turned to the blackened pit of the chimney. "Will you forgive me for being an idiot?"

He felt a soft and cool hand touch his cheek, gently pulling his head until he was facing his friend once more.

"You're not an idiot," Harriett said softly, earnestly. "And you have nothing to apologize for. I'll admit, you did scare me that day but I know you didn't do it on purpose. You were just trying to protect me. If anything, I'm the one who should be sorry."

"No, I'm the one who lost it when I shouldn't have!" Naruto argued. "You're the one who has nothing to apologize for."

"But I was being a terrible friend by ignoring you when you tried to talk to me!" Harriett said.

"Yeah but only because I was being stupid and scared you!" Naruto said.

"You're not stupid so don't call yourself that!" Harriett said sternly and with a huff.

"Sometimes I am!"

"No you're not!"

"Not sure wha's going on 'ere," Hagrid interjected, placing his large hands atop both their heads with a smile, "but it sounds ta me like yer both sorry. So why don't ya both just accept the other's 'opology?"

Naruto felt himself fluster at how immature he was behaving and if the pink in Harriett's cheeks were of any indication, she felt the same.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you and I forgive you for scaring me," Harriett muttered as she pressed her head to his chest.

Naruto felt as though an immense weight was lifted from his shoulders and from his heart at her forgiveness. As usual, his pessimistic side overshadowed his optimism. The fear of her rejection was ever present and the possibility of never earning her forgiveness was one he found haunting.

"And I'm sorry for scaring you and I forgive you for ignoring me," he said.

"D'aww," Hagrid sniffled with a large smile and hugged the two. "Warms ma 'eart to see ya care for each other so much!"

Naruto groaned feeling the large man's grip on them tighten. He snaked his right arm between Hagrid's own and Harriett, pushing back to lessen the pressure on his friend.

After a few moments, Hagrid released them, allowing both of them to breathe again.

"Erm, who is he?" Harriett asked, thumbing in the direction of the emotional giant, who was currently blowing his nose into a dirty darkened rag.

"That's Hagrid," Naruto said, cringing seeing how the man proceeded to wipe his eyes with the very same cloth.

"It is, isn't it?" Harriett agreed with her nose wrinkled, "But what's his name?"

"No, I mean his name is Hagrid," Naruto said. "He's here to tell you about the Wizarding World."

"The what?" Harriett asked.

Hagrid's saddened expression quickly turned angry.

"Is it true, ya don't know 'bout Hogwarts, or even yer parents?" He asked with scarcely restrained rage.

"Hogwarts?" Harriett looked to Naruto in confusion. "My parents? Naruto, what is he talking about?"

Naruto frowned and looked over to the sofa, where Dudley sat frozen in seeming fear.

"Beat it!" He barked and watched the boy run to his equally frightened parents. He followed the chubby boy with his glare, doubling his ferocity at the adult Dursleys. The small family of three rushed into the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind them.

In the moments that followed, they could hear the screeching of furniture being pushed up against the door.

"Naruto, please tell me what's going on. What's a Hogwarts and what does any of this have to do with my parents?" Harriett asked.

"So it is true," Hagrid muttered, sounding angry sad all in once. "Can't believe the nerve of those filthy muggles, no offense, lad. Know yer da's one but to keep 'er 'eritage a secret, 'ow absolutely despicable!"

"It's fine," Naruto said, taking ahold of Harriett's hand. "Come on, let's sit down. There's a lot you don't know."

Appearing lost, she followed him to the sofa. Naruto took that moment to remove his soaked sweater, throwing it next to the fireplace with a wet flop. He shivered in his thin shirt, also wet, before taking a seat next to Harriett, wrapping both himself and her in the blanket Dudley was using.

"I need some tea," Hagrid said as he ignited the fire within the chimney. Once he did, he began to dig through the inside of his coat, producing a silver kettle, a pair of chipped tea cups, and some sausages. "Famished too."

He offered them each a sausage and a cup of tea neither accepted. Naruto wasn't too hungry and seeing just where the man retrieved the food didn't do anything to stroke his appetite.

"What's going on, Naruto?" Harriett asked him, growing visibly restless. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Best if I explain," Hagrid said, taking a seat on the sofa beside them with a cup of tea in the one hand and a platter of sausages in the other. The sofa groaned and lurched beneath his weight. "Nay-ru-too 'ere only just found out 'e's a wizard."

"It's Naruto. Na-ru-to," Harriett corrected, inching closer to Naruto in order to distance herself from the large man. "And why are you calling him a wizard? Those aren't real."

"You know what a wizard is?" Naruto asked with surprise.

"Of course. I've read a couple of books with them in it," Harriett said, "but they aren't real."

"Tha's where yer wrong," Hagrid interjected with a smile. "Yer a witch, Harriett! Destined to be a good 'un too, given some time and teachin'. With a mum an' da like yers, there's no doubt in my mind 'bout tha!"

Naruto could only offer his friend an attempt at a reassuring smile when Harriett turned to him, confusion clear on her face.

"If you're confused now, just wait till you read the letter," he said.

"Letter?" Harriett asked.

"Ah yes, yer letter," Hagrid said, pulling the yellow envelope from within his coat. "'Bout time you read yours."

Naruto watched Harriett's face cycle through a mixture of wonder, shock, and finally confusion. He understood because he felt the same way when he first read his own letter. From where he sat next to her, he could see she received the same letter, only it was addressed very specifically to where they were, down to where they found her on the floor.

It made absolutely no sense but then again, very little did as of late, especially when in regards to the Wizarding World and what that all entailed.

"What does it mean, they await my owl?" Harriett asked.

That was not what he would have asked first but he could understand his friend was in a state of disbelief.

"Ah, tha' reminds me!" Hagrid exclaimed, reaching into his coat to produce an owl.

"Oh come on!" Naruto exclaimed. "You can't possibly have that much space in there! That's a live animal!"

Though Naruto knew he shouldn't have been so surprised, considering what he could do with seals. What really confused him was the fact that Hagrid had made no indication he was using magic to hide and produce the ridiculous number of things he did.

"Tha's a secret," Hagrid said cryptically and with a wink. He perched the owl on his shoulder before reaching into his coat to pull out a writing quill and a roll of parchment paper. Using his own large hand as a writing surface, he began to scribble something down. Once he was done, he gave the letter to the owl and sent it out into the storm.

"Earlier you mentioned my parents," Harriett began quietly. "Did you know them?"

"Aye, I did. Not many who didn't; nice couple they were. You look like 'em, ya know, more like yer mother. Got 'er eyes 'an face but ya 'ave yer father's hair color," Hagrid started out sounding happy but ended disheartened.

"I don't know much about them," Harriett continued in her reserved tone of voice, looking down at her lap. "They died in a car crash when I was little. I don't really remember what they looked like and I don't have any pictures."

Naruto wrapped his friend in a side hug. He knew all too well the pain of an absent family. Though he was fortunate enough to meet his father, if only briefly, he had gone most of his life never knowing who they were.

Much like Harriett.

"Car crash!" Hagrid bellowed out. "Is tha what they told ya? Tha they died in a car crash? There's no way a car crash could ever do in Lily 'an James Potter!"

Harriett flinched at his sudden shout but took immediate interest in his words.

"What happened to them?" Naruto asked, continuing to hold his friend.

Hagrid refused to tell him much about Harriet, not fully believing of his relationship with the girl. The only information he was given was that apparently his friend was famous in the Wizarding World.

"This isn't at all 'ow I expected our reunion to go," Hagrid said, regarding Harriett alone. "I was the one who brought ya to the Dursleys. I'm sure Dumbledore 'ad 'is reasons, they are yer family, I suppose."

"What happened to my parents?" Harriett reiterated her question, almost sounding frustrated.

Hagrid fell silent for a few passing moments.

"Not sure I'm the one to tell ya all this but who else?" He sighed and slumped back onto the sofa, the furniture groaning again and even louder at the motion. "Someone's gotta tell ya 'bout them; can't go off to Hogwarts not knowing 'bout yerself."

"Just remember, I'm here," Naruto interjected briefly.

Harriett grabbed a firm hold of his hand but her full attention was on the giant man.

"Better to start from the beginning, I suppose. I just can't believe you don't know who You-Know-Who, is. Everyone knows who 'e is!" Hagrid said.

"Who?" Harriett asked.

"I don't like sayin the name if I can 'elp it. No one does," Hagrid began his explanation cautiously.

"Why not?" Naruto asked. "Is it hard to pronounce?"

"Nothin' of the sort. Is just tha', well people are still scared by the name," Hagrid said. "With good reason, too."

Naruto wondered briefly if Hagrid was one of those people, and if the sweat accumulating on his forehead was of any indication, he was. Very much so.

"Could you at least write it down?" Harriett suggested. "And what does this person have to do with my parents?"

"I can't spell it and I'll get to tha', sadly." Hagrid inhaled deeply and exhaled just as deeply, his breath coming out ragged. "Voldemort. Tha's 'is name and I'll not repeat myself! Now, this 'orrid excuse for a wizard, 'bout twenty years ago now, started looking for followers. Somehow managed to get 'em, too. Some were afraid and some just wanted some of 'is power, and powerful 'e was."

Naruto was beginning to feel apprehension grow within him as he listened to the man speak. Many a cautionary tales began in the pursuit of power. From Madara Uchiha to Orochimaru, both were once revered Shinobi but grew to be feared.

"Those were some dark days. No one knew who to trust, couldn't risk getting friendly with any strange wizard or witches. Many terrible things 'appened in those days; 'e was taking over. Some stood up to 'im and 'e killed most who did. One of the only safe places left at the time was Hogwarts. Figured Dumbledore was the only one, You-Know-Who was afraid of," Hagrid said, taking a moment to catch his breath.

Naruto took the short reprieve to check on his friend. Harriett's full attention remained on Hagrid, her expression near unreadable.

"Now," Hagrid continued, 'yer mum and da' was some of the best witch an' wizards I ever did know. Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day!"

"My parents went to Hogwarts?" Harriett asked.

"Aye, I've said it before but they was some of the best, perhaps tha's why 'e wanted to turn 'em, or maybe 'e wanted them outta the way. All anyone knows is, 'e turned up in the village you was all living, on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old when 'e came to yer house an' - " Hagrid paused, sobs and sniffles interrupting his own story.

Naruto could already see the unfortunate conclusion to the giant's story. Harriett as well, he realized seeing the tremble of her lower lip and the occasional sharp nasal inhale.

He pulled her closer to him and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Sorry 'bout tha, I knew yer mum an' da' personally. You-Know-Who-Killed 'em. An' then 'e tried to kill ya too but 'e couldn't do it. Think about it, Harriett, 'ave you ever wondered 'ow ya got tha scar on yer forehead?" Hagrid asked.

Naruto had ever since learning of it. He gently palmed her chin and made her look up at him. Harriett was crying and that greatly saddened him but he had to know. He pried apart her messy bangs to see her forehead.

"Don't, it's ugly," Harriett said as she tried to push his hands away without any real effort.

"It's not," Naruto said, inspecting the jagged, lightning bolt scar. "Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"It's ugly," Harriett repeated in a grumble and with a sniffle.

"No," Naruto parted her hair further and kissed the center of her forehead, "no it's not."

Harriett seemed to fluster immediately at his action and quickly buried her face into his shoulder. Naruto was happy his slight misdirection worked. She couldn't be sad if she was embarrassed.

Though it wasn't a lie. His friend really was cute.

"Ya don't really 'ave to know all the grizzly details but like I was sayin', You-Know-Who tried to end ya too," Hagrid said. "Failed, obviously. An' tha's what's so mysterious 'bout it all. No one ever survived his evil, tha' is except for ya."

"Harriett?" Naruto called her name in concern when he suddenly felt her flinch. He saw her eyes shut in seeming pain. "Harriett, are you okay?"

"Took ya from the ruins of yer 'ouse myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought ya to the Dursleys," Hagrid finished with a genuinely angry huff. "I knew some muggles could be 'orrible people but the nerve," he trailed off, muttering angrily to himself.

"I think that's enough for today," Naruto announced, his proclamation garnering both Hagrid and Harriet's immediate attention.

"But I have more questions," Harriett said.

"An' I got more to explain," Hagrid added.

"There'll be plenty of time for that tomorrow. For now, It's your birthday!" Naruto said.

"Ah, tha's right!" Hagrid said.

"You remembered?" Harriett asked.

"Well yeah," Naruto said. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Oh, well," Harriett trailed off.

"Give me a moment, got something for ya! Might 'ave sat on it, mind you but should still taste the same," Hagrid said, pulling from within his coat a large white box. "Made it myself!" He said proudly.

He presented the box to Harriett and when she opened it, she smiled. Naruto did as well. Some of the words were misspelled but he could see the care that was taken in crafting the pastry.

Harriett seemed to tear up again.

"Wha's wrong?" Hagrid asked looking into the box. "Did I sit on it? If I did, I'm sorry!"

"No," Harriett said following a combination of a chuckle and a sob, "no it's perfect. It's just that, well I've never had a birthday cake before. Thank you, Hagrid."

"Oh well," Hagrid's grin seemed to light up the entire room. "Yer very welcome, an' Na-roo-two got ya somethin' too!"

"His name is - "

"It's okay," Naruto interjected with a sheepish smile. "I've tried, don't worry about it," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulled out a small brown box. "Here, I hope you like it."

"You got me something?" Harriett asked in disbelief as she accepted her present.

"Is it that surprising?" Naruto asked, feeling admittedly dejected at her disbelief, even if not completely unwarranted.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Harriett was quick to pick up on his feelings. "It's just that, I wasn't sure I'd ever see you again when I saw the outside your home."

"Sign?" Naruto questioned. "What sign?"

"The one that says your home's up for lease," Harriett said.

"Naruto felt his momentary confusion become quickly replaced with anger at the revelation.

Had Jiraiya never intended on returning?

Before jumping to any conclusions or allowing anger to flood his thoughts, Naruto decided to wait until he next spoke with his godfather.

"Never mind that," Naruto said with a shake of his head. "Go ahead and open it. It's not much cause I didn't have much money, but I hope you like it."

He watched with anticipation as Harriett opened his gift for her, the small box revealing a necklace with a emerald pendant, much like the one Tsunade had once gifted him.

He found the necklace at the local market he and Hagrid had stumbled upon when they were looking for directions.

The seller was an elder woman, much more advanced an age than even Janice. She was selling an assortment of rocks and crystals, some placed in bracelets, earrings, and necklaces; others as simple stones. Among her best sets were the emerald collection.

They also happened to be the most expensive.

Naruto almost considered stretching his Shinobi legs by taking it but his pesky conscience would not allow him to steal form such an elder woman. He was glad he'd listened to his aforementioned conscience because the woman, who seemed to notice his interest in the piece, offered him the necklace in exchange for whatever he was able to offer.

That was not much, as Jiraiya's allowances began to taper off ever since moving to Janice's farm.

"It's beautiful," Harriett said in awe. She held the necklace in her hand, allowing the emerald to fall and swing by the leather lace as she inspected it. Her similar colored eyes found his again, tears pooling them once more. "You got this for me?"

"Do you like it?" Naruto asked nervously. It was his first-time gifting anyone anything.

Her answer came in the form of a hug and muffled thanks.

Naruto returned her hug, feeling an immense feeling of joy course through him at her own happiness. He couldn't recall ever feeling so happy in his life than he did in that moment.

"Let me help you with that," Naruto said, taking the necklace from her. Harriett turned around and held onto her hair with one hand. He placed it around her neck and clasped it shut.

It fit well. He watched with a continued smile as Harriett palmed the emerald gem, her eyes shimmering in the flickering light of the fireplace. She turned back to him and renewed her hold on him.

"I love it," she said. "Thank you so very much, Naruto."

"You're welcome, and happy birthday, Harriett," Naruto said.

"Well, I think we've all 'ad quite the day," Hagrid announced with a thunderous clap. "We should get some shut eye. Got a big day tomorrow."

"What are we doing tomorrow?" Harriett asked.

"Getting yer supplies for Hogwarts o'course!" Suddenly Hagrid appeared concerned. "Ya are planning on going to Hogwarts, aint'cha?"

Harriett turned her large eyes to him.

"Will you be going?" She asked.

Naruto didn't have a simple answer for that question. Convincing his godfather to allow him to attend a school separated from the world they barely knew would not be easy.

"That depends. Do you want to go?" He asked.

Harriett blinked a few times before a sudden look of determination colored her expression.

"My parents went to Hogwarts and I feel like I should too. Maybe I'll learn more about them there," she said.

"Then I'm going too," Naruto said.

Once more, Naruto was treated with a brilliant, dimpled smile from Harriett. In that moment, he was resolute in his decision.

He wanted to protect and preserve that beautiful smile of hers, no matter what.

"Right then!" Hagrid chortled. "We'll go to Diagon Alley, first thing tomorrow morning!"

They fell asleep soon after.

* * *

Harriett woke up feeling warm and very comfortable. For a moment, this confused her. Her bed wasn't that comfortable but then she quickly remembered that she was not at the Dursley's home. They were in a rundown shack, on an island, trying to escape the letters.

Then she made a wish.

Her eyes snapped opened, looking up to find her face mere inches from Naruto's own. She felt her heart swell in joy.

It hadn't been a dream.

Naruto had really come for her, bringing along a giant with news of another world entirely. One of witches, wizards, and magic.

She turned her head to see Hagrid was still asleep, with his right hand supporting his massive head, leaning against the arm-rest of the sofa. Beneath his open mouth a puddle of drool and yet, the giant man made scarcely a sound.

In fact, the light snoring she was hearing was coming from Naruto.

Harriett giggled at his expression and was about to wake her friend when a thought occurred to her. His face was very, very close to hers and that made her belly warm but her attention was on his whisker marks.

She always wondered how Naruto got his whiskers but she never had the courage to ask, figuring he received them in an accident, much like how she once thought to have gotten her own scar. Harriett decided she would ask him when the time was right but she was determined to touch them. Above wondering how he'd gotten them, she always wanted to know how they felt.

She pulled her arm free from beneath the blanket they shared, realizing Naruto had a tight hold of her. In fact, both of his arms were wrapped around her, holding her against him.

Perhaps that was why she was feeling so warm and comfortable in an otherwise chilly room.

Slowly and oh so tentatively, Harriett placed her hand against his cheek, immediately pulling back at his sharp inhale. Harriett waited with baited breath, releasing it after he resumed his regular breathing. Once she was certain he was still sleeping, she tried again.

She trailed her thumb against one of his whiskers and was immediately taken aback by how they felt. Each of the scars, or birthmarks, she was unsure of which, were indented against his skin, yet protruding and soft.

"Having fun?"

Harriett blinked and looked up to see Naruto looking back down at her with a sleepy grin. With a jump, she retracted her hand quickly, as if scalded.

"Sorry, I just wanted to see how they felt. I didn't mean to wake you," she said.

"It's okay," Naruto yawned. "I've been up for a couple of minutes, just resting my eyes."

Harriett felt her face burn realizing he had been awake long enough to realize she was touching his face.

Before she could embarrass herself any further, a sudden round of taps sounded at the window.

"Looks like Hagrid's owl," Naruto said, releasing his hold on her.

She jumped out of the sofa to let the bird in. The moment she did the owl flew inside and dropped a newspaper on Hagrid, the bundle smacking the slumbering giant in the face, yet he did not stir. It wasn't until it started pecking at his coat that he began to stir.

"Five Knuts," Hagrid grumbled and reached into his coat and pulled out a handful of coins.

Harriett saw him drop five bronze coins into the small leather pouch tied to the owl's leg. Then he flew off through the window again.

"So they work for money?" Naruto questioned.

"Aye, most do," Hagrid said with a yawn, stretching his arms out over his head, his knuckles almost touching the ceiling of the shack. "We best get a move on then, got a long day ahead of us. Got to get yer school supplies."

Harriett felt her stomach drop at the mention of money, as she had none.

"Hagrid," she began nervously.

Hagrid hummed as he stretched, indicating he heard her.

"I don't have any money," she admitted. "I don't think the Dursleys will pay for me to learn magic."

"Don't worry 'bout tha'," Hagrid said as he continued to stretch, the settling of his bones sounding like snapping branches. "Yer parents left ya some money. All's we got to do is go get some from Gringotts Wizarding bank."

"A bank for wizards?" Harriett asked.

"Tha's right. It's run by goblins," Hagrid said.

"What are goblins?" Naruto asked.

"You'll be findin' out soon enough. Got to convert yer money to ours so ya can buy yer stuff too," Hagrid said. "We'll do tha' while we get Harriett's."

Naruto's own expression became troubled.

"What's wrong?" Harriett asked him.

"How much does everything cost?" Naruto asked Hagrid.

"What do ya mean?" Hagrid asked.

"I mean, how much is everything I'm gonna need to go to Hogwarts gonna cost?" Naruto asked.

"Well," Hagrid seemed to consider the question seriously, "going to Hogwarts is free, ya just gotta buy yer own supplies."

"Which would be?" Naruto elongated the final word in his question.

"Can't say for sure," Hagrid said with a shrug of his large shoulders. "'Aven't bought any school supplies in a long time."

"Why do you ask, Naruto?" Harriett asked, although she had an inkling of an idea as to what he was getting at.

"I really don't have any money," Naruto finally admitted, slowly and with audible reluctance. "I'm sure I could get it eventually but I kinda spent the last of my money on," he trailed off.

"On me," Harriett concluded.

"Ah, well yeah but I don't regret it!" Naruto was quick to respond. "I just need to talk with my father to get some money. Though I don't think I'll be able to join you today."

Harriett felt herself panic slightly at his words. Hagrid seemed kind enough and he even said to have known her parents but she wasn't necessarily comfortable with being alone with the giant.

Most importantly of all, she did not want to be separated from Naruto, not when they had just reunited.

"I'll pay for your things!" Harriett said, turning to Hagrid. "You said my parents left me money. Do you think they left enough to cover both of our things?"

"Tha' and much more!" Hagrid said with a smile.

"Harriett, I can't make you do that," Naruto said.

"No one's making me do anything, Naruto," Harriett said, offering her friend a smile. "I want to help you. You've done so much for me already, I think it's only fair."

"I didn't do all that just to have you pay me back," Naruto said.

"I know but I want to help you," Harriett said, approaching him she grabbed his hands and looked up to him. "So please Naruto, let me help you this one time."

He held her gaze and she could see his stubbornness slipping away.

"Fine," Naruto said with a relenting sigh, "but I'm gonna pay you back when I can."

"You really don't have to," Harriett said.

"I know but I want to," Naruto said.

"Naruto," Harriett huffed, "I already said you don't have to!"

"And I already said I want to!" Naruto argued back.

"If you insist then I'll have you pay me back in another way," Harriett said.

"In what way?" Naruto asked.

Harriett looked over her shoulder to see the giant of a man watching them, the grin on his face splitting. Suddenly feeling very aware of the man's presence, she pulled Naruto close to her, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"If you want to pay me back, promise you'll never leave me again," she whispered.

Harriett grew momentarily concerned she was asking too much of him when she felt him stiffen. She was immediately relieved when he hugged her.

"I'm not going anywhere anymore, I promise," Naruto said.

After a quick breakfast of birthday cake and tea, they set off.

It was another crisp morning and the storm had since cleared away to reveal the shining sun above. Flocks of white gulls lazily rode the light breeze, the flocks offering calls every so often. Bumping against the edge of the rocks were two boats, the one they rode to the island on in the first place and another.

"Are we all supposed to ride in one?" Harriett asked.

"They're surprisingly sturdy," Naruto said. "If we didn't fall in last night in the storm, I'm sure we'll be fine now."

"If you say so," Harriett said, not at all feeling convinced.

She almost fell in the water getting into the boat on their trip to the shack on the rock. Both Vernon and Dudley each nearly capsized the boat when they got in and Hagrid was almost three times larger than Vernon and likely weighed as much.

Harriett wouldn't say she feared the water but neither could she swim.

"Do you want me to help you get in?" Naruto asked. "I'll make sure you don't fall."

"I would like that," Harriett agreed.

"Hold the boat, Hagrid," Naruto said as he approached her.

"Aye lad!" Hagrid said, doing as he was asked. With a grunt, the large man crouched, single handedly tilting the boat to pour out the water that had accumulated from the previous night's downpour before righting it again. He offered them a thumbs-up, indicating the boat was ready.

Harriett had not been expecting Naruto to outright pick her up, much in the way a prince would a princess in the books she'd read. The thought brought to her face a deep color as he carried her onto the boat with no sign of a struggle.

Naruto was very strong.

"Thank you, Hagrid," Naruto said as he sat himself on the boat with her still in his lap.

"Erm, Naruto," Harriett began shyly.

He hummed his acknowledgment.

"You can let me down now," Harriett muttered.

"Ah, sorry," Naruto apologized as he sat her down next to him on the wet bench of the boat.

"It's okay, I just don't want to burden you," Harriett tried to explain.

"I get it," Naruto said, staring off into the distance.

Harriett was relieved to see that he did not appear angry or offended but there was something she couldn't quite place on his face. Similarly, she was unsure of just why she was suddenly feeling weird by the contact.

The boat lurched as Hagrid boarded.

"Not supposed to use magic, Na-row-two knows this and I'd be much obliged if ya didn't say anything at Hogwarts," Hagrid said.

"Of course, Harriett agreed, staring at Naruto.

"He's getting closer," Naruto said with a shrug, "sometimes."

"Off we go then!" Hagrid announced, waving a pink umbrella while uttering a few words.

Harriett was amazed to feel the boat lurch forward, seemingly on its own.

The boat ride back to land was pleasant. She and Naruto took that moment to chat, catching up on what the other had been doing in their time apart, all whilst Hagrid read his paper. When they finally reached land, Harriett was ecstatic to discover they would be going to London.

She had always wanted to visit London.

They rode in Hagrid's motorcycle until they reached the outskirts of London.

"Too much traffic," Hagrid had said when he announced they would be taking the Underground to reach their destination.

The giant man seemed to know where he was going, Naruto as well as every time the former stopped to point something out, her friend would explain its use. In fact, he aided Hagrid in maneuvering through the compact halls of the Underground. A task made easier as most would move out of the way to avoid Hagrid.

Harriett enjoyed the short train ride. Though it wasn't as fun as she had imagined, she was simply happy knowing Naruto had kept his promise.

He took her on a train.

It may not have been his immediate doing but Harriett felt much more comfortable in the presence of her friend.

After the short train ride, they began walking. Harriett was enthralled by the big city. Although unfortunately, Hagrid would not allow them to sight see for too long. Said he had a schedule to keep and not much else.

Despite having fun taking in the sights, Harriett's feet soon began to ache. She was not used to walking for such a prolonged amount of time but she tried to hide her discomfort seeing Naruto show none. Neither he nor Hagrid appeared in the slightest winded, while she began accumulating sweat on her forehead.

Just as she was about to request a quick break, Hagrid came to an abrupt halt. Naruto, who at one point retreated into the confines of his own thoughts, continued walking on a stretch before realizing they had stopped. He jogged back to meet them with a sheepish grin.

"This is it," Hagrid announced, the Leaky Cauldron. This place is right famous!"

Harriett could not see why. It was a small pub that looked much older than the surrounding buildings. Aside from that feature, the pub didn't stand out otherwise. As she looked around, she noticed that despite the fact that the street was bustling with activity, no one seemed to take notice of the establishment.

"This place looks like," Naruto paused for a moment, glancing at her, "a dirty old place."

Harriett had a sneaking suspicion that Naruto had intended to say something else but she was unsure of just what that may be.

"The usual, Hagrid?" The bartender asked. He was an old man with eyes narrowed so much, it was a wonder he could see anything.

"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," Hagrid stated proudly, roughly patting her on the shoulder.

"My word," the bartender peered over the bar to look at her, his eyes finally showing themselves to be a dark brown. "Is that... can this possibly be the Harriett Potter?"

Suddenly, the bustling of the bar came to a halt.

Harriett was taken aback to see the bartender rush around the bar to her; however, before he could reach her, Naruto stepped in-between them. With his hand on the man's chest, he placed an immediate halt to his advance.

"Back off," Naruto warned, pushing the man back, sending him stumbling onto his bottom.

"Careful now, lad," Hagrid warned sternly. "Tha' bastard Vernon may 'ave deserved it but Tom's a good man."

"I don't care," Naruto said, unflinching beneath the giant man's stare. "I'm not letting some old creep get near her. Or anyone else for that matter."

Harriett felt conflicted at his reaction. While she was touched by how willing he was to protect her, she didn't want him to attack everyone who tried to approached her.

"Erm, Naruto," Harriett began, "I don't really mind meeting with other people," she said nervously.

Naruto held her nervous glance and when she turned it pleading, he relented with a sigh.

"Fine but remember to be careful, Harriett," he warned. "Everyone here is a stranger and you shouldn't be so willing to trust strangers."

"I - " She had not considered that. She and Naruto were about to embark in a world neither were familiar with. The dangers of strangers was something often taught at school. "I'll be careful, thank you."

Naruto sighed again before turning to where the bartender was still on ground. He offered him a hand.

"Sorry about that, old man. I'm just trying to make sure no one ever hurts her," he said.

The man accepted the helping hand, shaking his head.

"I would never!" Tom sputtered. "Not the great Harriett Potter, the girl who lived!"

Naruto placed himself before her and the man.

"No touching," he warned. "You can talk to her, though."

"O-Oh, well it is very nice to finally meet you, Ms. Potter, an honor really," Tom said, bowing his head.

With that, the entirety of the bar erupted in chaos. Chairs screeched and crashed against the floor as the entire patronage of the bar scrambled to meet her.

"No touching!"

Harriett retreated behind Naruto as she was swarmed by many a men and women, all showering her with their greetings.

"Welcome back, Ms. Potter, welcome back!"

Naruto was struggling to hold the amassed crowd back. Every once and a while, a hand would slip by his defense and she shook it, offering the owner a shy smile before her friend finally pushed them back.

"Doris Crockford, Ms. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."

"So proud, Ms. Potter, I'm just so proud."

"Delighted, Ms. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."

"I've seen you before," Harriett said, recalling seeing the man's oversized top hat. "You bowed to me once in a shop."

"She remembers me!" Diggle cried happily. "Do you hear that everyone, she remembers me."

"Okay, this is getting weird," she heard Naruto say over the bustle of the crowd. "Hagrid, isn't there somewhere we need to be?"

"Yer right lad," Hagrid said. "Alright then folks, we need get going!"

There was a collective groan shared by those gathered but they seemed to respect the giant man's request and soon began dispersing back to their places.

"I guess you really are famous," Naruto said, looking at her with an exasperated expression.

Harriett almost found herself giggling at his appearance. In the commotion, his hair became slightly more disheveled than usual and one of his sleeves were rolled up to his elbow.

"I still can't believe it," she admitted, settling for an amused smile, "I don't feel very famous."

"P-P-Potter," someone stammered out.

Harriett saw a pale man wearing flowing black robes and a purple turban approaching them. He appeared very nervous with his hands clasped together at his chest, his eyes darting around the room when they weren't twitching.

"Professor Quirrell!" Hagrid greeted the man boisterously. "Harriett, this 'ere's Professor Quirrell, 'e'll be one of yer teachers at Hogwarts."

"M-Mrs. P-Potter, it is n-nice t-t-to f-finally meet y-you," he said, grabbing ahold of her hand. It was cold and clammy.

"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?" Harriett asked, trying to ignore the gross feeling of his hand.

She hoped he didn't see her wipe it on her pants.

"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark A-Arts," Professor Quirrell muttered, his entire body shivering as he did so. "N-not that you'd need it, P-P-Potter."

Harriett was momentarily confused as to what that was supposed to mean. She never quite got it because her thoughts were interrupted by Naruto, who cleared his throat rather loudly. It was then that she noticed Naruto was giving the nervous professor a particularly harsh glare.

The professor seemed to take notice of this as well, because he flinched, taking a few steps back. His hands were clasped at his chest again, eyes cast downward.

"A-Anyway, I m-must be g-going. I've got t-to p-pick up a new book on v-v-vampires, m-myself," with that, the man scurried away, continuously glancing over his shoulder. However, unlike the others, his attention was not on her, but rather Naruto, who returned the man's stare.

"Naruto?" Harriett said inquisitively. "What's wrong?"

Shifty behavior aside, Professor Quirrell seemed nice enough.

"What's wrong with that guy?" Naruto asked, directing his question to their giant guide.

"Not in 'ere," Hagrid said, motioning them to follow after him.

He led them through the bar and out into a small courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can with two abnormally large rats hissing at one another within.

"Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous, even Professor Quirrell was a trembling to meet ya," Hagrid offered a husky chortle. "Mind ya, he's usually tremblin'."

"Why is that?" Naruto asked again. "He almost seemed scared."

"Yer right good at doin' tha' lad," Hagrid said with a shrug, "but oh yeah. He was just fine not too long ago. Then he took a year off ter get some first-hand experience defending against the dark arts. They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, tha' and 'e 'ad a nasty run in with a hag, never been the same since. The poor bloke, scared of the students, scared of his own subject, prolly his own shadow too, if the time o' day is right."

"Vampires?" She heard Naruto mutter.

Harriett's head was abuzz with the possibilities. If witches and wizards were real, and it appeared as though they were, then was it possible that so were vampires? The very idea admittedly unsettled her.

Harriet's thoughts of werewolves and ghouls were interrupted by a tapping sound.

"Three up, two across," Hagrid muttered, tapping at the wall with his umbrella. "Tha' should do it, stand back you two."

Harriett was astonished to see the bricks Hagrid touched begin to rattle before sinking into the wall, giving way to a small whole which quickly expanded. Before her eyes and before she knew it, Harriett was seeing an archway tall enough for even the giant man to easily pass under. The new entrance led to a cobbled street bustling with others.

"Was that?" Naruto trailed off, seemingly as surprised as she.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley!" Hagrid announced.

Harriett was amazed by what he saw. The entire street was lined with shops of many variety, with the nearest display multiple stacks of cauldrons big and small alike. A sea of pointed hats and dark robes inhabited the alley, the empty spaces filled by distant and idle chatter.

"Woah, it's gone," Naruto said.

Harriett turned to find a solid stone wall behind them. Naruto was touching it, slapping it a few times but the wall remained solid.

"Magic?" She offered her friend a hapless shrug when he finally turned to her.

Naruto sighed and grabbed a hold of her hand. They followed Hagrid, taking in the sights, pointing at things they found interesting. The giant would only offer brief explanations as to what they were seeing, but otherwise constantly reminded them of their impending task.

There were shops selling owls, robes, and broomsticks of all things. That's what little she recognized; there were many other things on display and sell that neither she nor Naruto could make heads or tails of.

"Tha' there, is Gringotts!" Hagrid announced.

She and Naruto had been entranced by the moving image of a newspaper a man was reading. The grinning face of a local farmer was displayed on the print. He was standing next to a pumpkin twice his size, slapping it proudly every few seconds.

"You know what," Naruto said, looking at her, "I think it's best if we just go along with all of this for now. I might go crazy if I try to explain it to myself."

"I think that's a good idea," Harriett agreed.

"Erm, kids," Hagrid began. "Gringots. Ya see, right there."

Harriett turned to see a large, snow white building that towered over all the other shops. Posted outside twin bronze doors, wearing a red uniform with gold trimmings, was a goblin.

"Uh, I know I said I wasn't going to question anything, but what the heck is that?" Naruto asked in a whisper.

The creature was short and had a rough leather like pointed face, pointed ears, and a large nose. Its hair was long, dark, and scraggly; his beard pointed beneath a row of sharpened yellowed teeth.

Harriett held his hand tighter and leaned against him when the short creature glared in their direction.

"Tha's a goblin," Hagrid said in a whisper that was not very quiet.

The goblin bowed at them as they entered the bank. Inside they immediately encountered yet another door, this one was silver with words engraved on them.

* * *

 _Enter, stranger, but take heed_

 _Of what awaits the sin of greed,_

 _For those who take, but do not earn,_

 _Must pay most dearly in their turn._

 _So if you seek beneath our floors_

 _A treasure that was never yours,_

 _Thief, you have been warned, beware_

 _Of finding more than treasure there._

* * *

"Told ya," Hagrid said, "only a mad man would try an' rob it."

"Yeah but it kinda makes me want to try now," Naruto said in a whisper.

"You can't be serious!" Harriett pulled at his hand, bringing his attention to her. "You wouldn't do that, would you Naruto? Steal I mean?"

"What? Of course not!" Naruto said with a laugh and a smile which did nothing to convince her of his innocence. "I was just joking."

Harriett wanted to point out the clear mischief in his eyes but decided against her accusations in the presence of the goblins. With such large ears, she wouldn't doubt their hearing.

Unsatisfied with Naruto's response, Harriett settled for squeezing his hand, offering him her best attempt at a stern expression. His amused smile did little to reassure her of the effectiveness of her effort.

They found themselves in a very large room, seemingly larger than the building had any right to be, with about a hundred more goblins lining the long marble counter. They were sitting on high stools, some scribbled on large ledgers with audible scrapes, others weighed coins on brass scales, and a few were examining precious stones through eyeglasses.

"Morning," Hagrid greeted one of the free goblins. "We've come ter take some money outta Ms. Harriett Potter's safe."

"Do you have a key, sir?" The goblin drawled without looking up from his book.

"O'course, got it in here somewhere," Hagrid muttered, clambering through his coat. Finally, after spilling an absurd amount of oddities onto the angry goblin's desk, he produced a tiny golden key.

The goblin inspected it closely.

"That seems to be in order."

"I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore 'imself!" Hagrid stated proudly. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."

The goblin pulled out a pair of glasses from his coat pocket and began to read the letter.

"Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid," I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!" He shouted before turning his attention to Naruto. "And you boy? What business do you have with us today?"

"I'm with, uh, I'm with her," Naruto said, holding up their intertwined hands.

The goblin looked between the two, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Very well," he said.

"So what's this big secret mission?" Naruto asked Hagrid.

"Can't tell ya tha'," Hagrid stated defensively. "Very much a secret, Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me with this. More'n my job's worth to tell ya."

They followed Griphook, another goblin, through one of the many doors. The environment changed from what one would expect from a bank, albeit a magical one administered by goblins, to a cavernous dungeon of sorts. At the center of it all a set of railway tracks.

"This place is huge," Naruto said, his voice echoing.

Before Harriett could respond, Griphook whistled loudly, summoning a small mining cart. Their goblin guide hopped inside the cart with relative ease, before turning to them with a grumpy yet expectant look.

"Get in," Griphook croaked.

"I 'ate these blasted things," Hagrid grumbled as he clambered into the cart.

Once inside, it didn't leave much room for them.

"I'll get in first," Naruto said, easily vaulting into the cart. "Come on."

Harriett was once again reminded of her friend's apparent strength as he hoisted her into the cart with no audible or visible effort.

"Thank you," she said.

"No problem, just hold on to something, this doesn't feel safe," Naruto advised.

Before Harriett could say anything, Griphook whistled again. She fell back into Naruto as a result.

"Careful," Naruto said, holding her steady.

"S-Sorry," Harriett muttered, though she knew his words were out of care, not disciplinary.

She was glad for Naruto's support as the track twisted and turned sharply, before dropping into an even larger cave. Along the way, they passed a lake where she saw large mounds of stalactites and stalagmites growing from both the ground and the ceiling.

Harriett could never tell the difference. She was about to ask Hagrid but paused when she saw hunched forward, his large hands gripping either side of the cart with white knuckles. She didn't think Hagrid capable to be scared of anything, he was a giant, after all.

"Naruto, do you know what the difference is between stalactites and stalagmites are?" Harriett asked aloud, turning her head to look over her shoulder.

Harriett was mortified to see his entire face was engulfed by her hair. She quickly grasped her hair into a tail just as the cart came to a screeching stop. Naruto opened his eyes, blinking a few times, and regarded her with a general look of confusion.

"I don't know what either of those things are," he admitted with a sheepish smile.

Harriett couldn't help but smile and giggle at his response, prompting further confusion from her friend.

"What?" Naruto asked seeing her reaction.

"Help me out, will you?" Harriett said.

Naruto blinked again before relenting with a shrug. He hopped out of the cart and helped her out, setting her down next to Hagrid, who looked green in the face as he leaned against the vault walls.

"You okay there, Hagrid?" Naruto asked.

Hagrid's response was a groan and an index finger pointed upwards, silently requesting a moment to gather his composure.

Griphook waddled to the vault door and unlocked it. A massive plume of green smoke erupted from within, momentarily obscuring the contents within. When it cleared, both she and Naruto gasped at what was inside.

"Holy shit!"

"Language!"

"Sorry!"

Harriett was transfixed by the mounds of gold coins, columns of silver nearly ceiling high, and heaps of the bronze Knuts Hagrid had used to pay the owl earlier. She was at a loss as to what to think or say in that moment, she wasn't even entirely sure if what she was seeing was actually real.

"All yours," Hagrid said with a large smile to match a man of his stature.

"All mine," Harriett repeated to herself in awe.

"Rich and famous," Naruto said with a whistle, "cute too. There something you want to add?"

Harriett could feel herself fluster at his praise, something she found herself doing often in the short time since their reunion. She didn't feel very famous and could not believe how much money her parents had left for her but she was willing to accept both of the aforementioned as truths. What Harriett didn't necessarily think was true was that she was cute, no matter how many times Naruto said so.

"Stop staying that," she muttered, "I'm not cute."

Naruto smiled at her.

"Yes, yes you are," he said with far too much ease in her opinion.

Didn't he realize how embarrassing hearing him saying that was?

It was too embarrassing to hold his eyes. Harriett tried to distract herself by helping Hagrid fill two sacks with what he thought they would need to buy their supplies.

Naruto was reluctant to accept her help and they were in the middle of a back and forth when Hagrid reminded them that they still had things to do. Harriett had to force the bundle of money into his hands with a huff before struggling to get back into the cart.

Once back in the cart and in movement again, she felt Naruto rest his head on her shoulder from behind.

"Are you mad at me?" He asked.

Harriett turned her head away, staring into the seemingly endless pit of the ravine.

"Harriett?" Naruto tried again.

"You've done so much for me," she muttered, "and we're friends. So then why do you keep refusing my help?"

"I don't know but I'm sorry," Naruto apologized. "I didn't mean to make you feel like I don't want your help. I guess I just feel kinda bad that you're giving me so much money."

"I understand but we agreed on something already," Harriett huffed.

"I know, I'm sorry," Naruto repeated with a sincerity she could not ignore.

Then again, Harriett was not mad at Naruto. Not in the slightest. She was only slightly frustrated at his continued reluctance but it wasn't as if she didn't understand the sentiment.

"It's okay," she said, "but please, from now on, don't deny my help. It makes me feel bad."

"I won't," Naruto said sounding resolute. "And I know I've already said this a lot but I'm sorry."

Harriett smiled as he ruffled her hair.

Vault seven hundred and thirteen was different. It had no key hole and had no other visible points of access.

"Stand back," Griphook ordered.

The goblin palmed the door with a delicacy and care she didn't believe possible in such a mean looking creature, before he dragged his long finger down the center. Before her eyes, the door seemed to vanish into nothing.

"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there," Griphook said.

"How often do you check the vaults for any intruders?" Harriett felt the need to ask.

"About once every ten years," Griphook said with a grin that displayed his pointed teeth. His beady eyes seemed to be focused behind her.

It took Harriett a moment to realize he was staring at Naruto.

When she turned to him, she saw him staring back at the goblin. He smiled down at her but she could not ignore what had just transpired, despite not really knowing what that was.

Harriett decided to ask him about it later. At the moment, she was eager to see what was possibly contained in such a high security vault. Instead she found a single packaged wrapped up a brown paper, laying on the floor, in the center of the otherwise empty room.

Hagrid picked it up and hid it within his coat. Harriett wanted to ask again what it was but knew the giant man would give her no satisfactory answer.

"Well that was kinda disappointing," Naruto said as they returned to the cart.

He put a voice to her thoughts.

* * *

Following another winding cart-trip back to the surface, they were finally outside, enjoying the warming sun in the crisp England weather. An owl flew low over the crowd, which hadn't diminished in their time within the bank.

"You two might as well get yer uniforms first," Hagrid said, inclining his head towards Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "In the meantime, you kids wouldn't mind if I slipped off fer a quick pick-me-up from the Leaky Coldren? I've never done very well with that blasted cart. Need something ta settle ma stomach."

The giant man was off before either could muster a response.

"Let's go then," Naruto said.

He grabbed a hold of his friend's hand and led her into the dainty shop. They were immediately greeted by a short witch dawning vibrant purple robes.

"Hello there, I'm Madam Malkin," she introduced herself with a smile. "Hogwarts, I assume. Got a lot of new faces through here today.

Naruto looked around the small shop and saw a boy in the back. He was pale, had platinum blond hair, and a face set in perpetual displeasure. He was standing on a footstool while another witch worked to get him fit in a pair of long, black robes.

"This way, dearies," Madam Malkin said as she led them to two adjacent footsteps next to the boy.

Harriett was placed in the stool directly next to the boy while he was given the one next to her. For as tiny as the woman was, she moved fast, throwing robes over the both of them.

"Hello," the boy said but did not turn to face either of them, "Will you two be going to Hogwarts this year as well?"

"Uh, yes," Harriett said.

"Yep," Naruto added.

"My parents are getting my other things as we speak," the boy drawled, following an uninterested hum. "After I'm done here, we're going to go look at racing brooms. I don't see why we first years can't have them. Maybe I can have one smuggled in?"

Naruto rolled his eyes at the boy's behavior. He sounded snobby and constantly disinterested despite being the one to engage them in conversation.

"Do either of you own a broom?" He asked.

"I don't," Harriett said.

"Why do you want a broom?" Naruto asked. "You don't really seem like the type to clean your own room."

Harriett cupped her mouth but could not fully stifle her giggle.

"Was that supposed to be funny?" The boy questioned with a new edge to his voice, casting a look of disdain in his direction.

"I thought it was kinda funny," Naruto said with a shrug.

"You look older," the boy observed following another disgruntled hum. "Are you a returning student?"

"It's my first year," Naruto said.

"Interesting," the boy said with clear sarcasm. "Do you know what house you'll be in?"

"House? Like were I'll be staying?" Naruto asked.

The boy looked at him with a mixture of disgust and disdain.

"Are you by chance a Mud-" the boy stopped himself, glancing at Madam Malkin, "Muggle-Born?"

"A what?" Naruto asked. He recently learned what a Muggle-Born was but he also knew the pale boy was going to say something else.

"So you are," the boy looked as though he was just presented by an unflattering smell. "There's no way you'll be in Slytherin, then. Gryffindor, maybe. They're known for housing your lot."

"I don't know what you're trying to say but I know I don't like it," Naruto said, stepping off the stool to approach the boy. "So just come out and say it."

"Naruto, don't," Harriett pleaded to him.

He ceased his advance with an internal sigh. Naruto really was trying his best to behave and not frighten his friend anymore but the smug boy was making it hard not to. However, Harriett was more important to him than getting his vindication on some random snob.

That didn't stop him from jumping at the boy in place, a false charge really, and laughed when he jumped and toppled off the stool.

Naruto jumped back onto the stool and smiled at Harriett. She crossed her arms, huffed, and looked away, though he managed to catch the smile she was trying to hide.

"Behave now kids," Madam Malkin said, seemingly distracted as she measured Harriett's arm.

"You!" The boy pointed at him with a sneer. "What is your name?"

"Naruto Uzumaki," Naruto said, matching his glare. "What's yours, prissy?"

"Draco Malfoy," he spat, "and I'll remember this!"

There was a curse word resting on the tip of his tongue but Harriett was ever present in his peripherals. Instead, Naruto opted to offer the boy his longest finger.

Draco seemed confused, as was Harriett, before he stormed away.

"What was that?" Harriett asked.

"I'll tell you later," Naruto said with no intention of doing so.

After gathering their robes, they met Hagrid outside. He was holding three ice cream cups, each one held in between one of his large fingers.

"Find everything alright?" Hagrid asked as he distributed their treats.

"We did, although we ran into a nasty boy in there," Harriett said, throwing him a side glance. "His name was Draco Malfoy."

"Malfoy," Hagrid said the name as though it tasted horrid on his tongue. "You'd two do well to keep yer distance from 'im. The Malfoy's are a nasty bunch! Their name carries a great bit 'o weight in the Wizarding World, Per'aps not for the right reasons."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked. "Are there clans, uh, families. Ya'know, like old, established families in the Wizarding World?"

"Aye lad. I suppose ya soon be meeting a few of the children from those families. Most are good people," Hagrid paused to frown," and some aren't."

Naruto was reminded of the most established and oldest clan's from Konoha. The Uchiha, the Hyuuga, and the Senju came to mind. The more he learned of the Wizarding World, the more he was interested in discovering just how it operated.

"He also mentioned a Slytherin and Gryffindor," Harriett said, "What is that?"

"School Houses. There's four of 'em. Gryffindor's the best house there is! Slytherin, on the other hand," a dark look overtook Hagrid. "There's not a single witch nor wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one."

"Voldermort went to Hogwarts?" Naruto asked.

"Blimey, Naruto!" Hagrid exclaimed, glancing around in every direction. "He did years ago, but ya can't just go round saying 'is name!"

"Ah, sorry," Naruto said sheepishly.

"Just don't do it again, lad," Hagrid said, his voice taking a softer and more understanding tone. "Didn't mean ter shout at ya. It's like I said before, he hurt lot's 'o people."

"Hey, you said his name correctly," Harriett said.

The next stop on their list was a shop named Flourish and Blotts. There were many shelves packed tightly with books of varying sizes and binds. Naruto found himself gravitating to the book section specifically tailored for Muggle-Born wizards.

He purchased a copy of _Hogwarts: A History_ with the intention of learning as much as he could of the Wizarding World, and the school within it he would be attending. He also did so in hopes that he could use it to convince Jiraiya to let him attend Hogwarts, a lingering doubt in the back of his mind.

Naruto also managed to sneak Harriett the prank book Hagrid had dissuaded her from buying. He never could stay away from a good prank and he was looking forward to discovering how he could possibly implement magic, or chakra, into the equation.

After the bookstore they purchased most of the other supplies on their list. This included the cauldrons they would need to craft potions, another aspect of magic Naruto was highly interested in, along with a set of scales and a telescope.

Naruto and Harriett explored the Apothecary store while Hagrid ordered the ingredients they would need for crafting potions. Lining the walls were jars with multicolored powders, large white feathers, horns of creatures neither could recognize, and barrels full of all manner of critters.

While interested, he knew better than to mettle with the unknown substances; and there were many.

"Just need to get yer wands," Hagrid said as he led them down the alley, parting the way with his stature. "I also got to get ya a birthday present."

"But you've already gotten me a cake," Harriett muttered shyly.

"Aye, but Na-ru-doe 'ere got ya something an I wanna get ya something too," Hagrid said.

"Again?" Naruto sighed. "You had it right earlier."

"You really don't have to," Harriett said, palming her necklace.

"I know I don't 'ave to but I want to," Hagrid insisted. "Oh! 'ow's about I get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at. Don't much care for cats, they make me sneeze. I know, I'll get ya an owl! All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, too, they'll carry yer mail so's ya don't 'ave to pay for message delivery. O'course ya still 'ave to feed and care for it, but tha's part of owning a creature!"

They followed Hagrid to Eeylops Owl Emporium but before they could enter, something caught Naruto's attention.

"Hey Hagrid," Naruto began.

"Aye lad," Hagrid said.

"Do I have to get an owl?" Naruto asked as he stared at the shop simply named Scamanders. From the glass he could see caged cats, some dogs, and a litter of rats.

"Well, no ya don't 'ave to," Hagrid said ponderously, "but it's like I said, owls are the most useful. Also, ya can't bring nothing that ain't a toad, a cat, or an owl to Hogwarts. Though I'm thinking I've seen a few students get away with ownin' a rat."

"Yes but, I don't want an owl," Naruto admitted. "Do you mind if I take a quick look in there before deciding?"

Hagrid's answer came in the form of a massive shrug and expression that telegraphed that he did not. Harriett, on the other hand, suddenly looked nervous.

"But I do want an owl," she said, looking at him with large pleading eyes.

"Harriett," Naruto began with a sigh and a smile. "If you want an owl then you can get yourself one. I just want to see what they have. We'll meet up right here after, I promise."

Naruto realized his friend didn't want to be apart from him and after over a month of being apart, neither did he. What he didn't realize was just how attached to him Harriett was. He saw panic in those eyes.

"Okay," Harriett murmured before following Hagrid in.

Feeling mildly guilty, Naruto rushed into the store in hopes of returning as soon as he could.

The moment he opened the door he was met by a cacophony of barks, meows, and other such chitters. The shop itself was small and narrow, down to a single room with various animals lining the walls on shelves, and in cages.

"What do I want?" Naruto muttered to himself.

Naruto looked around the small shop, seeing all manner of creatures. From lizards and turtles to some fishes, and a variety of exotic birds. Those were the animals he recognized, there were a few he did not. Unfortunately, his choices were rather limited.

He found a section of the store labeled, 'Hogwarts approved'. Standing there, holding a mean looking orange cat, was a short girl with large, fluffy light auburn hair.

"Isn't he just the cutest?" The girl squealed, holding the cat close to herself.

The cat growled angrily and Naruto feared it would attack the girl but it did not. Judging by her par parent's nervous expressions, they were of a similar fear.

"I suppose so," the girl's mother began cautiously, "but are you certain that's the one you want?"

"We could look at the owls again," her father suggested. "They've got a much larger selection next door."

"No," the girl said following a short considerate hum. She rubbed her cheek against the agitated animal's head. "I want this one. What do you think, isn't he the cutest?"

Naruto blinked, staring back at the girl with large brown eyes. He was not expecting that question, or for her to actually speak to him, so he said the first thing that came to his mind.

"I like the color orange," he said, immediately feeling dimwitted for having started with those words. "It's my favorite color. I think it looks cute."

"Oh, me too!" The girl cooed. She finally relinquished her strangle hold of the poor cat and looked at him with an excited expression. "Well, orange is my fourth favorite color but I think he's cute. By the way, are you going to Hogwarts too?"

"Yes actually - "

"Of course you are," the girl interrupted. "Why else would you be here? I'll be attending too, it's my first year, what about you?"

"Yes, I just - "

"Do you know what house you'll be in?" She interrupted him again. "I've only just learned about the Wizarding World and Hogwarts, so I'm not too familiar but from what I've read..."

Naruto smiled but it wasn't out of amusement as the girl continued to ramble at a million words a minute.

"Hermione dear," her mother began with an embarrassed expression. "I think you should let him choose his pet."

"I do apologize," her father said, smiling down at him. "My daughter can be a bit... talkative at times."

"Oh, of course," the girl said, flustering. She hugged her cat to her chest, hiding the lower half of her face behind it. "Sorry. I suppose I'll see you at Hogwarts?"

"I, uh, yes," Naruto said, still at a relative loss at what to say. "My name is Naruto, by the way, Naruto Uzumaki."

"What a peculiar name," the man muttered to himself, only to receive a chiding glare from his wife.

"Hermione Granger," the girl said, still sounding shy.

"Excuse our interruption," the woman said with a kind smile before ushering her family along.

Naruto watched them go with a sigh, feeling longing churn in his heart. There were many other children in the company of their parents and in that moment, he wondered what his own would think of the adventure he was about to embark on.

Would they be proud of him?

A soft mew garnered his attention. He turned to find there was only a single kitten remaining. It was orange like the girl had with intermediate white streaks in its fur. It was currently regarding him with curiosity in its large dark eyes.

The kitten pressed its small pink pads against the cage and pointed its head at him, offering him another soft mew.

Naruto smiled at the adorable animal but he had no intention on getting a cat. Truthfully, he had no idea what animal he should get, or even if he should get one in the first place. Owning a pet was something he had never really considered, though he was not entirely opposed to the idea, he was apprehensive. He had never taken care of another life before.

Naruto turned away from the cat to look at the other animals. There were a few owls remaining, plenty of toads, and only the one kitten. With such a limited choice, he was beginning to reconsider the idea of pet ownership all together.

Nevertheless, he decided to look at the owls first. There were three of them in total, two brown owls and a white one. Each stared back at him blankly and when he approached, they began to screech and flutter their wings.

"So no owls," Naruto muttered, moving to the toads next.

There was an abundance of the green, slimy creatures. They croaked and jumped over one another, fruitlessly slamming against the roof of the clear glass container they were confined to.

"I don't think so," Naruto said.

He doubted Jiraiya would approve of his decision to attend Hogwarts but if for some odd reason he did, he knew his godfather would advocate for a toad. They were their summons animal after all but at a glance, there were no signs of true intelligence in their behavior. Also, for as much as he cared for Gamakichi, his own personal summons, he didn't much care for the idea of having to carry around with him such a slimy animal.

"You know she's the runt of the litter."

"What the - " Naruto jumped at the sudden appearance of a tall and slender elder man, who for one reason or another, he did not hear approach. "Don't sneak up on me like that, old man!"

Was he becoming lax in his time away from home?

"She's very small," the man continued, taking no heed to his shout. "You'd think kids would find that cute, and most do, but no one seems to want her," he finished with a hum before moving along to help another family.

Naruto looked back down to the cat and sighed.

"She's so cute!" Harriett gushed at his cat. She looked up at him excitedly, "Have you chosen a name for her?"

"Ah, no, no I haven't. It was kinda of a last-minute decision," Naruto admitted while running his free hand through his hair.

"Daw, cute little thing," Hagrid cooed, using his large finger to scratch at the kitten's head. Almost immediately, he sneezed, very loudly, startling everyone in the immediate vicinity. "Right then," he said with a sniffle, "one last stop and we'll be done 'ere."

Naruto placed the kitten on his shoulder and followed Hagrid.

They arrived at Ollivander's Wand Shop.

"What do wands do anyway?" Naruto asked.

"They allow you to use yer magic," Hagrid said as he opened the door for them, motioning them inside.

Naruto looked around the room, it was small and poorly lit with various shelves, all lined with dusty narrow black boxes. With a grunt, Hagrid sat himself on the single chair in the room and smiled at their confused expressions.

He felt something stirring in the room that he couldn't quite place. Naruto felt on edge without the actual feeling of being in danger. Judging by Harriett's nervous expression, he wasn't the only one.

"I wondered when I'd see you," said an elder man as he rounded a corner. He was tall, thin, and had spindly grey hair beneath a short top-hat. "Mr. Ollivander's the name."

Following his introduction, the man leaned over the desk to inspect her with pale, inquisitive eyes. The corners of which crinkled in some form of emotion.

"Harriett Potter. I see both of your parent's in you, though you have your mother's eyes. It seems like only yesterday she was in here, buying her own wand," Mr. Olivander said, sounding reminiscent. "Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."

Harriett glanced at him and Naruto tried his best to reassure her with a brief smile. An interaction Mr. Ollivander seemed to notice. His attention momentarily drawn to him.

"Very, very interesting," the man said following a hum. He returned his attention to Harriett, clasping his hands together. "Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable, a little more power, excellent wand for transfiguration," he chuckled to himself. "Well, I say he favored it, but it's really the wand that chooses the wizard."

Naruto wondered what that was supposed to mean. A thought he was given little time to ponder on as he watched the man approach Harriett. He repositioned himself until he was in front of her and met those misty eyes.

Mr. Ollivander regarded him with some curiosity before breaking into a yellow smile. He looked over their heads to regard Hagrid.

"Ah, Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you after all this time, gotten a bit taller haven't you?" He said and continued before Hagrid could respond. "Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"

"It was sir, yes," Hagrid said, his voice shaking slightly.

"It was a good wand, was it not? I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" Mr. Ollivander said, his tone taking a stern turn.

"Er, yes, yes they did," Hagrid said, looking down at his feet with his large hands stuffed in the pockets of his coat. "I've still got the pieces, though."

"But you don't use them?" Mr. Ollivander pressed.

"Oh no, sir, o'course not!" Hagrid proclaimed rather quickly.

Naruto felt sorry for the gentle giant. His behavior before was suddenly making sense. When Harriett had questioned his own past at Hogwarts, Hagrid seemed nervous to speak about it. To hear he was expelled from the school he so seemed to love.

Mr. Ollivander hummed in seeming disbelief before looking down to look at him again.

"And who might you be, young man?" He asked.

"Naruto Uzumaki," he introduced himself.

"In all my years," Mr. Ollivander muttered to himself. "Well then, let's get you two your wands."

Naruto wondered why the man had to take their measurements, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit, and of all things, the circumference of their heads.

"Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Ms. Potter, Mr. Uzumaki," he said as he measured the length of his fingers. "We use anything from unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. You can use another's wand in a pinch but you will never get the same results as using your own chosen one."

Naruto looked to Harriett to find her focusing on the floating measuring tape currently taking measurement of her nose. He was surprised too but with all that he had seen thus far, it was one of the least jarring displays of magic.

"Right then, who wishes to go first?" Mr. Ollivander asked.

Harriett stared at him and he stared back.

"Go ahead, Harriett. I'll go after you," Naruto said.

"Okay then," Harriett said with audible nervousness.

"Try this one first, Mrs. Potter," Mr. Ollivander said, pulling a random box from deep within a stack of wands from a random shelve. "Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches, nice and flexible. Take it in your hand and give it a wave."

Naruto watched closely as Harriett took the wand and waved only once before Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of her hand.

"No, no, not this one," he muttered to himself, disappearing into the back of the shop, only to appear again from an entirely different direction. "Maybe this one. Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches."

Once more, before Harriett could even wave the wand, Mr. Ollivander had taken the wand back, in search for another. He did so multiple times, piling up opened boxes of wands all over his already messy desk.

"Is this normal?" Naruto asked Hagrid in a whisper.

"Suppose so," Hagrid said, his eyes focused on the elder man reaching for a stack near the ceiling. "Didn't take 'im so long to find mine but everyone's different."

"I hope it doesn't take him so long to find mine," Naruto said, more to himself.

He had been gone for over a day and the afternoon was fast approaching. He was dreading facing Jiraiya again. He had left behind a note explaining his prompt return but he knew his godfather would be worried nevertheless.

"Tricky customer, eh, let's see," Mr. Ollivander hummed, his eyes scanning the room round. "I do wonder, holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Naruto felt that same feeling from before return as Harriett accepted the wand, her eyes widening as she did so. She didn't even have to wave the wand when suddenly, a strong gust of wind materialized from nowhere, ruffling her hair and kicking up a small dust storm within the shop.

For a moment, Naruto saw both Harriett's eyes, and the necklace he had gifted her, glow in the low light of the room. It was brief and he almost dismissed it as his imagination, but he did see it.

Hagrid clapped loudly while Mr. Olivander grinned wildly.

"Very good and very curious, how oh so very curious indeed," he said, taking the wand back from Harriett. He placed it back into its box, continuing to mutter to himself as he wrapped in brown paper.

"Excuse me," Harriett spoke up for the first time in a while, "but what's so curious?"

"I remember every wand I've ever sold," Mr. Ollivander said. "Every single one. The phoenix whose feather is in your wand, it gave another feather, just one other. It is curious that you should be destined for this wand, when its brother gave you that scar."

"You mean Vol- uhm, You-Know-Who?" Naruto asked.

"Indeed," Mr. Ollivander said grimly. "Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Curious how these things happen, but they do happen. I ask that you remember, Mrs. Potter, Mr. Uzumaki, it is the wand who chooses the wizard. I think we must expect great things from you, Mrs. Potter. After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things, terrible, yes, but great things."

He and Harriett shared a look of general discomfort at the elder man's words, neither quite knowing what to say.

"You next the, Mr. Uzumaki," Mr. Ollivander called him forth. "I do have a hunch with you."

Naruto gave Harriett his kitten to hold while he searched for his wand. Mr. Ollivander gave him a wand from an unopened box. The box itself was crimson red in color, as opposed to the black of all of the other, and was exceptionally dusty. He blew on the box before opening it, releasing a massive plume of dust into the air.

"Snakewood and dragon heartstring, thirteen and a half inches," he said as he placed the opened box on the table.

Naruto wasn't sure what to expect. Up to the current moment, he had his doubts on whether or not he'd be able to actually cast magic. It was very possible that his chakra was similar to a wizard's magic, yet different enough to deny his entry into Hogwarts.

But he had already made a promise to protect his friend and it was one he fully intended on keeping.

So with great trepidation, Naruto reached forward and grabbed the wand, dark red in color.

Naruto inhaled sharply, feeling his body come alive in the warmth of his chakra, feeling it explode from within his core, flowing freely through him for the first time in a very long time. He felt a large portion of his chakra flowing towards the wand in his hand, almost as if it was siphoning it. Despite this he felt no drop in his reserves.

If anything, he almost felt as if they were growing!

It was exhilarating! The power he felt flowing through him, very familiar yet very different, reminding him of what he had failed to realize before. Beyond his home and his limited friends, Naruto missed the ability to use his chakra freely.

"Naruto!"

Naruto blinked feeling confused for a few passing moments. He looked to see a visibly concerned Harriett standing before him, holding his hands. His kitten was nestled beneath her dark tresses, staring at him with wide eyes.

"What?"

"Are you okay?" Harriett asked him.

"Yeah, I feel fine," great really, but Naruto decided to keep that part to himself. "Why?"

But he never got an answer. At least not a verbal one from Harriett. She simply looked around the shop, prompting him to do the same. All around him paper fluttered, falling, while more than a few shelves had collapsed upon themselves. Even Hagrid's hair appeared to have been blown back.

It was as though some sort of windstorm had blown through the small shop.

"Uh, did I do that?" Naruto asked.

Just as he did so, another shelve, one stacked to the roof with wands, collapsed.

"A very curious day it has been indeed," Mr. Ollivander said.

* * *

They left Diagon Alley shortly after and Harriett was unsure of what to think as their day neared its end. Beyond everything that had happened, one thought lingered ever-present in the back of her mind. That being what would happen when the day actually ended, and it was time for she and Naruto to part ways again.

She didn't want that.

Harriett sat quietly beside Naruto whilst Hagrid was inside a local restaurant, buying them a late lunch before they caught a train. She felt tears stinging her eyes at the thought of Naruto leaving again, even if it was only a month until September.

What began as one of the best birthdays ever, was going to end in misery. Of that Harriett was certain.

"Harriett, what's wrong?" Naruto asked.

Harriett quickly turned away and made to dry her eyes behind her pesky lenses.

"Nothing," she tried and knew she failed to lie. She felt him place an arm around her shoulder, pulling her to him.

"You can tell me," Naruto said, low and patient. "I'm here for you, remember."

Those words were meant to be comforting, Harriett realized. Yet they only proved to hurt her more, unleashing the tears she was so desperately trying to hold back.

"For how long?" She cried into his shoulder. "I don't want you to leave and I know as soon as I get back to the Dursleys, they're going to lock me away again! Who knows if they'll ever let me see you again!"

"It's going to be okay, Harriett," Naruto said, turning to fully hug her. "I promised, remember? I mean, who said I was going anywhere?"

"What do you mean?" Harriett dared not raise her hopes but she did look up to him.

"You're coming with me to Janice's farm until it's time for us to go to Hogwarts," Naruto said as though it was something she should have known.

Perhaps she should have. He did promise, after all.

"What are you saying?" Harriett asked, feeling both confused and now hopeful.

"Did you really think I was going to let you go back to those - back with the Dursleys?" Naruto asked with a frown. "Of course not! I don't trust them, not after everything that's happened. That's why you're coming with me."

"Are-are you sure? Can we even do that?" Harriett asked, feeling herself growing increasingly excited, yet still ever cautious.

"Who's going to stop me, us, I mean? I doubt Hagrid will care, I mean, he has seen how the Dursleys are," Naruto explained.

"And what of your godfather? Will he be okay with me staying with you?" Harriett asked.

"Ah," that seemed to momentarily stump Naruto. "He will be. I just gotta talk to him but I can promise you he'll let you stay with us. He also knows how bad the Dursleys are."

"So," Harriett found herself at a momentary loss for words. "So, you're not leaving me?"

"I promised I wouldn't," Naruto said with a set resolution that had her heart beating immediately.

Harriett could only hug him again, thanking him profusely. She could not begin to describe the relief she was feeling in that moment knowing she would not have to return to the Dursleys. Most important of all, she would not have to be apart from her friend.

After their meal, Hagrid led them to the train station.

"This is as far as I can take ya both," he said, patting the part of his coat that contained the secret package he was set to retrieve for Dumbledore. "Got ta get back soon as possible but I'll surely be seeing ya both at Hogwarts. Remember, first o' September, King's Cross. Should be all on yer tickets."

"Thank you, Hagrid, for everything," Harriett said.

"Yeah, thanks, Hagrid," Naruto added.

"Oh, yer both very welcome," Hagrid said following a sniffle. "And Harriett, if the Dursleys give you any trouble, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me. See ya both soon."

With that said, Hagrid turned away and lumbered off. Harriett took that moment to shoot a look to her friend, who was currently running his hand through his hair while he held his slumbering kitten under the other.

"Does Hagrid know I'll be staying with you?" She asked.

"I mean maybe?" Naruto said, failing to meet her eyes. "Possibly not."

"Possibly not?"

"Probably not."

"Naruto!"

"Okay so he doesn't know," Naruto finally admitted, turning to her. "But it's going to be fine, Harriett. Now come on, before we miss our train."

They rode the train in relative silence. Naruto had spent the first half hour convincing her that everything would, in fact, be fine. Harriett almost believed him had she not known that her friend, for as much as she trusted him, could not necessarily guarantee that despite promising it.

Some things were simply out of his control.

Truthfully, Harriett wasn't worried about the Dursleys. She doubted they would miss her. If anything, they would be glad she was gone. What she wasn't so sure of was if Naruto's godfather would really let her stay with them, or if he would end up sending her back home.

In the end, she could only hope Naruto was right.

They arrived at the train station where Naruto carried a majority of their things, whilst she carried Hedwig and her friend's cat.

"How far is the farm from here?" Harriett asked as she looked around the now empty platform. The sun was getting low in the sky above and she could feel the brisk breeze turning chilled. The idea of walking in such conditions was not one she was looking forward to.

It didn't help her feet were already aching from a long day of walking.

"I called my godfather and got us a ride," Naruto said, looking off in the distance.

"You did? When?" Harriett asked.

"When you were using the restroom," Naruto said. "Anyway, I think that's him."

Harriett squinted to look past the blinding orange sun, into the rolling green hills in the distance. From behind the glare came rumbling an old beat up truck. In the driver's seat she could see Naruto's godfather.

He didn't look happy.

"Are you sure he'll let me stay with you?" Harriett felt the need to ask.

"Oh yeah," Naruto said without a seeming care in the world. Or so she thought until she heard him clear his throat. "Just, uh, just let me have a quick word with him first."

As the truck came to a stop, Naruto placed their things on the ground and approached the truck, turning to her to offer her a quick thumbs up and a smile, before turning back with outstretched his hands.

"Old man!" He greeted cheerfully.

"You have a lot of nerve, brat!" Jiraiya shouted and slammed the door behind him, the sheer force managing to shake the entire truck. "Where the hell have you been?"

Naruto chuckled nervously and cast her another backwards glance.

"Don't worry, I've got this."

* * *

 **My bad guys, didn't mean for it to take me this long to post a new chapter but what can I say other than I'm sorry. I work full time and go to college, blah, blah, blah. It may be true but it's no excuse. Hope the length sort of makes up for the wait.**

 **Anyway, I want to thank the two reviewers who pointed out my mistake when describing Muggles and Muggle-Borns in the previous chapter. I'm prone to making mistakes so feel free to point out any you may see.**

 **Next chapter will introduce Hogwarts.**

 **Thanks again for reading and until next time.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Another long one.**

* * *

The ride to the farm was an awkward one. Harriett found herself seated between Naruto and his godfather. Every so often, she would risk a glance at both, but otherwise, she tried her best to keep to herself and look forward towards the rolling countryside, listening idly to the truck engine's dull thrum.

After a brief argument turned hushed whispers, Jiraiya seemed to relent, allowing her to come along with them. Though, throughout the entire drive, the man had not so much as said one word to her. Or to Naruto, for that matter. He maintained his eyes forward, a rather strong grip on the old steering wheel of the truck.

Speaking of her friend, Naruto was also being uncharacteristically silent. He initially tried to dissolve the tension by attempting to whistle, but gave up after a few tries resulted in nothing more than raspy coos. He was currently staring out the window of the truck, with his chin resting in the palm of his own hand in seeming contemplation.

As a result of their shared silence, Harriett was unsure of what to do with herself other than to remain quiet and make herself as small as possible. Thankfully, it did not take them long to reach the farm and once they did, she was pleasantly surprised by just how picturesque the scenery was in the low light of the setting sun.

"Grab your things and then meet me in our room," Jiraiya instructed, directing his angry stoicism over her head and at Naruto, before making his way out of the truck with a lesser slam of the door.

With him gone, Harriett immediately turned to him.

"He doesn't seem very happy with me being here. Are you sure he'll let me stay?" She asked nervously. Harriett didn't mean to impose but neither was she looking forward to the possibility of having to return to the Dursley's, at least not after everything that had happened.

"It's not that he really minds you being here," Naruto began slowly. "It's just that, he's kinda mad at me for leaving without really telling him first."

"You did?" Harriett asked.

"I left a note but..." Naruto trailed off, his expression morphing into one of regret, "but still. I didn't really have his permission to go. Hagrid was in a hurry and once I found out that he was looking for you, well I couldn't really pass up the chance to see you again."

Harriett was touched at the lengths her friend went through in order to reunite with her. Though it did little to quell the guilt she felt for having caused the strife between Godfather and Godson. A feeling amplified by the fact she was happy he did find her.

"I'm sorry," Harriett apologized. "It's my fault he's angry with you."

"Harriett," Naruto sighed before regarding her with a smile. "Don't be. Everything I did was cause I wanted to. He's grumpy now but I know the old man, he'll get over it eventually. He's too much of a sap to stay mad at me."

"If you say so," Harriett muttered, closing her eyes as he ruffled her hair lightly.

"I know he will. Now, come on and help me with Hedwig and my kitten while I get our stuff. We'll get this settled," Naruto said reassuringly.

Harriett exited the truck with Hedwig's cage in hand and Naruto's kitten on her shoulder. She smiled and giggled feeling the small creature's whiskers tickle her cheek, purring warmly against her.

As they approached the cozy looking home, Harriett finally took notice of the older woman standing on the porch, watching them closely. Judging by her appearance, she must have been Janice Thatcher, the kind woman Naruto had briefly described to her.

"Do you know just how worried we were when we came home to find you gone?" Janice asked, leaving the porch to meet Naruto in an angry shuffle. She stopped mere feet before her friend, their heights almost the same, with the woman being only a little taller and slightly rotund.

"I know, I'm sorry, Mrs. Thatcher," Naruto apologized, looking the woman in the eyes with what Harriett found to be sincerity. "I didn't mean to worry you and I can't really get into the details, but it was something I had to do."

"Put your things down for a moment, young man," Janice ordered.

Harriett felt concern swell within as she glanced at her friend. One thing she had not fully considered until the moment was Janice's take on her sudden arrival. Jiraiya may have been her friend's godfather, but Janice was the owner of the farm and their employer. If she didn't want her to stay, there wasn't much either could do for her.

Appearing reluctant, Naruto did as he was asked, glancing nervously at Harriett for a short instance. This did little to ease her worries. However, Janice's next action surprised them both.

"I was so worried!" She exclaimed, pulling Naruto into a sudden and very tight hug against her bosom.

Naruto seemed to stiffen for a few passing seconds before he returned the woman's embrace, seemingly reluctant to do so.

"Sorry," he apologized slowly. "I didn't mean to worry you."

"But you did, you silly boy," Janice chastised him affectionately, hugging him even tighter as she did so.

Harriett would have found the sight of her friend's plight amusing had it not been for the situation. His face was almost entirely engulfed by the woman's chest, his arms now outstretched at his sides, waving slightly in what was clearly panic.

When Janice finally relinquished her hold on her friend, Naruto pulled back with a gasp and frazzled hair. Despite the tense circumstances, Harriett could not contain the giggle that surprised even herself as it escaped her. An action she immediately came to regret when suddenly, the woman's attention was turned to her.

"And you must be the Harriett Potter," Janice said with a kind smile. "Naruto here's told me so much about you."

Harriett briefly glanced at Naruto for help, but he appeared to be stuck in something of a state of trauma, his eyes wide, staring aimlessly ahead. When she turned back to Janice, she found the woman smiling at her with a kindness that she still found foreign from adults.

"H-Hello," Harriett greeted nervously.

"Aren't you just adorable!" Janice gushed as she approached her.

Harriett was unsure of what to do with herself or of what to make of the situation as the woman pinched her cheek softly. Janice bent over slightly, her knees popping at the motion as she continued to inspect her.

"Thank you," Harriett muttered in lieu of anything else.

"You're very welcome, dear," Janice said, patting her cheek before standing to full height once more. "Come on then, you two. I began preparing dinner the moment Naruto phoned. Stew's hot and ready!"

Harriett watched Janice scurry away, feeling somewhat relieved at her welcoming nature. When she turned to Naruto, she saw him gathering their things once more with a tired expression on his face.

"Let's get this over with," Naruto said sounding unenthusiastic.

Harriett found the small home warm and inviting in a way she couldn't quite place. The fire was crackling in the fire place, illuminating the immediate, dimly lit area in a flickering orange glow. Lining the walls were pictures of whom she could only assume to be Janice's family.

One of the pictures displayed was of Janice herself, standing beside and holding lovingly onto an elder man, both smiling with tangible delight. Beside that a picture of a small family; a man with black hair and a grin, holding an infant while his brunette wife stood at his side. Finally, there was another frame, this one displaying yet another family, a blonde woman with two children standing before her, a short freckled blond boy and a girl, slightly older in age, with dark hair and a gap in her teeth.

As Harriett inspected the pictures, a small white puppy approached with a wagging tail and large inquisitive eyes cast up to her. It tilted its spotted head curiously before sniffing at her a few times.

"That's Rupert," Naruto said as he set their belongings down. "I'm gonna go talk to the old man, but don't worry, I'll be back soon."

But she did worry as she watched him disappear into a far-off room, the door closing behind him leaving her alone in a stranger's home. Harriett found herself rooted in place, unsure of what to do in the meantime, listening anxiously for any sounds of an argument from within the room.

Yet, all was silent and Harriett wondered if that was a good or bad thing.

"Harriett dear," Janice called to her, appearing at the cusp of the kitchen. "Why don't you come and help me set the table while we let the men talk."

"O-Of course," Harriet said, making it halfway to the kitchen before realizing she was still holding the cage of a slumbering Hedwig. "Erm, do you mind if I set my owl down somewhere?"

"Curious creature you've got there," Janice said with an inquisitive glance. "Go ahead and set it down on the table. We'll figure something out after dinner. You can set the kitten down anywhere; Rupert won't hurt it."

Careful so as to not disturb her slumbering owl, Harriett set Hedwig on the coffee table before also setting Naruto's kitten on the floor. She watched as the kitten regarded her for a moment before trotting over to Rupert. They seemed to be smelling one another curiously before rubbing heads together.

"That little thing yours too?" Janice asked, also watching the canine and kitten interact.

"No, she's Naruto's," Harriett said as she followed the woman into the kitchen. She stopped before entering, looking back at the bedroom Naruto had entered and was slightly concerned as to why she had yet to hear either of them speak.

In the end, Harriett decided to take that as a good thing. That meant they were at least not yelling at one another.

* * *

"What the hell were you thinking, Naruto?" Jiraiya roared. "Do you realize how stupid it was of you to just go off with some unknown?"

Naruto flinched at the sheer volume of his godfather's shouts. He knew he was in serious trouble when Jiraiya had set a silencing seal on the door.

"Look, calm down, old man, and I'll explain," Naruto began, his eyes following the pacing man from where he sat on his bed.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Jiraiya continued to shout.

"Or don't," Naruto sighed. "Look, I know I shouldn't have gone without your permission but it was important. I had to know if Harriett was okay."

"You should have at least waited until I returned so you could have consulted it with me," Jiraiya said with an angry huff, seating himself on his own bed on the opposite side of the room.

"Like you consulted me before leaving our place on Privet Drive?" Naruto bit out.

"Exactly!" Jiraiya said with exasperation. "We're supposed to talk things out, Naruto!"

"That's not what I mean, old man. I know you didn't have any intention of returning," Naruto accused.

"What are you talking about, Naruto?" Jiraiya asked, seemingly taken aback by his claim.

"I'm talking about the sign Harriett saw outside of our house!" Naruto said, raising his own voice. "We were never going to return, were we?"

"No," Jiraiya declared, on his feet once more. "You're not the one asking the questions here, brat."

"Don't change the subject, Jiraiya," Naruto replied, also standing to meet his godfather's challenge. "Our home on Privet Drive was up for lease again. You didn't want me to see Harriett again!"

"We've been over this before! We're in a foreign world, Naruto! We have no idea what's out there or just how powerful they may be. I get that you care for that girl but I'm looking out for us. We can't risk a conflict with a government or whatever the hell the magic world is!" Jiraiya argued.

Naruto scoffed and sat himself down on his bed, his arms crossed.

He had his answer.

"So you lied to me," he stated.

"I did what I had to protect you!" Jiraiya said, pacing again. "Because you can't seem to get it through that thick skull of yours; this world could be far more dangerous than what we can handle on our own. Because we are alone here, Naruto. There's no Konoha or anyone to back us should we get into trouble. Why can't you understand that?"

"I understand," Naruto said, looking up to regard his godfather with anger brewing within. "And I'm not stupid. I know there's always going to be danger in not knowing what's ahead, but unlike you, I'm not gonna sit here and cower while my friend's out there, in danger."

"Watch your tongue," Jiraiya warned as he sat himself on the edge of his bed, leaning forward with a truly angry expression marring his face. "It's called surviving, Naruto. I'm trying to keep us alive long enough to find a way back while you're constantly trying to get us involved in matters that don't concern us."

"I know what it means to survive," Naruto said, feeling a sense of resigned calmness fall over him, blanketing his anger. "I had to fight every day to survive in that fucking village. All my life, after you, Kakashi, and the old man Hokage; after you all abandoned me, all I've ever been doing is surviving."

"Naruto - "

"I'm talking," Naruto interjected firmly. "Ever since I was booted from the orphanage and left to live alone in a shitty apartment, I've been surviving. Sometimes I had to survive the villager's wrath, and sometimes it was surviving hunger, but most times it was just surviving in a world that seemed to hate me, all by myself."

Jiraiya's expression fell to one of remorse and it only proved to anger him further.

"I know you said you were an orphan too but do you know what it's like living in a world that hates you, but you don't know why?" Naruto asked rhetorically. He was not expecting an answer and he didn't get one. Jiraiya's head only fell further. "Harriett does. She grew up living a lie, just like I did. The people who were supposed to protect her, only ever hurt her. She's just like me in a lot of ways."

"Naruto, I'm sorry," Jiraiya said, still not able to meet his eyes.

"That's why I promised I would protect her," Naruto continued, mindless of his apology. "In the way no one ever bothered for me. You three had every chance to help me but none of you ever did, at least not when I really needed it. I'm not gonna make that mistake. She's too important to me."

Naruto paused to catch his breath, releasing some of his pent-up frustrations in an elongated sigh.

"Don't think I don't appreciate the fact that you're trying to change that now. Besides, the old man Hokage before he died, and the Ichirakus, you're the only one who's actually tried to help me," Naruto said, smiling at him. "But you can't stop me from helping her. I'm going to Hogwarts with Harriett, with or without your permission."

"It could be dangerous," Jiraiya said, sounding resigned.

"I know and I accept that. That's why I got this," Naruto said. Biting his thumb, he smeared his blood across his right forearm. With a plume of smoke and a pop, a book appeared in his hand. He tossed it to his godfather.

" _Curses and Counter Curses, Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies With The Latest Revenge: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying, and Much More by Professor Vindictius Viridian,_ " Jiraiya read aloud before looking at him in confusion. "What's this?"

"Ah, wrong book," Naruto quickly snatched the book away from his godfather before unsealing another from his left forearm. He tossed it at Jiraiya again.

" _Hogwarts, A History_ ," Jiraiya read the cover before opening it, his eyes quickly skimming through the pages.

"It's a book meant for Muggle-borns and their parents. It should give us information about the Wizarding World," Naruto explained.

"Interesting," Jiraiya muttered, continuing to read the book for a few moments before snapping it shut. "You do know that not everything we need to know will be in this book, assuming it isn't meant to deceive."

"I know but it's all we've got. I've already made up my mind, old man," Naruto said.

"Fine," Jiraiya relented, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, running his hand up and down his face a few times with a sigh. "There's obviously nothing I can do to stop you, and I also can't ignore the possibilities magic may bring. When do you start?"

"September first," Naruto said with relief.

"Then we've only got a month to train you," Jiraiya said.

"Oh, uh, I'm still not sure if magic and chakra is the same thing, but if it is, I'm not really supposed to be using it outside of Hogwarts. They don't want muggles learning magic exists," Naruto explained.

"We'll work on your physical training then," Jiraiya said following a considerate hum. "At least until I finish the seal."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked. "What seal?"

"You see that silencing seal on the door?" Jiraiya asked, inclining his head in the direction of the door.

"Yeah, what of it," Naruto asked, glancing over at the black seal matrix decorating the door.

"I've been working on something that should, in theory, conceal our chakra within a room," Jiraiya said. "It's the same basic concept of the silencing seal. Only instead of containing sound, I found a way to tune it to where it should contain our chakra signatures."

"Really?" Naruto asked with eyes wide. "I didn't know that was possible."

Jiraiya crossed his arms with a proud smirk.

"That's the thing about seals, kid. It's all about creativity," he said, pressing a finger to his temple. However, Jiraiya's expression turned serious again. "But if that girl's going to be staying here, then you're going to have to find a way to keep our abilities from her."

"Can't I just tell her?" Naruto asked. "She is my best friend."

"Do you trust her not to expose us?" Jiraiya asked.

"I do," Naruto said without hesitation.

"Then I'll leave you to explain that to her yourself," Jiraiya said, standing to his feet. "I'm trusting you here, Naruto. Don't prove me wrong."

Naruto followed his godfather out of the room and into the kitchen where he found Harriett seated at the table, a bowl of stew steaming before her as she chatted with Janice. For one reason or another, his friend seemed to be slightly flustered.

They paused their conversation, with Janice turning to regard them with a smile, while Harriett looked down to her food.

"Get everything sorted out?" Janice asked with a smile.

"I think so," Jiraiya said, taking a seat before one of the steaming bowls. He looked up at Harriett and smiled. "Sorry about the way I was behaving earlier, kid. Naruto here has that effect on me."

"He's just getting grumpy in his old age," Naruto dismissed, taking a seat next to his friend.

"Yeah well, you're short," Jiraiya rebutted near immediately.

"Hey, I'm the normal height for my age!" Naruto said, glaring at his godfather.

"If that's what you want to believe," Jiraiya disregarded his claim with a shrug of his shoulders.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto questioned.

"It means you're short," Jiraiya said.

"Oh yeah?" Naruto said, leaning forward.

"Yeah!" Jiraiya said, doing the same.

"Boys," Janice warned.

"Sorry," both Jiraiya and Naruto apologized simultaneously.

"O-Oh," Harriett muttered shyly. "It's okay, Mr. Jiraiya. I understand you weren't really expecting me."

"Well, now that we're all here, let's eat!" Janice said.

After an enjoyable dinner and a busy day, it was time for bed. Harriett was given the sofa while Naruto retreated to his shared bedroom with Jiraiya. They spent most of the night studying _Hogwarts: A History._ They learned a fair bit of the history of magic and Hogwarts itself.

Reading about the magical world and believing it were two entirely different matters. Naruto shared with his godfather all that had happened during his trip to Diagon Alley, and everything he'd seen. Jiraiya was understandably incredulous as he described his encounter with the goblins, described newspapers with moving pictures, and recounted the selection process for wands.

If Naruto had not seen it for himself, he would have believed the Wizarding World to be the delusions of a mad man.

In preparation for such a world brimming with unknowns, Naruto and Jiraiya woke up especially early in the morning, hours before the sun rose, to train.

"I'll wait for you in the barn," Jiraiya said in a whisper, leaving their room.

Naruto's only response was a low groan, his eyes heavy as he seated himself on the edge of his bed, trying his hardest to will away the drowsiness from his mind. After sluggishly dressing himself, he stepped into the dark living room.

He rounded the sofa, using the low-light of the glowing fireplace to lead him. He paused hearing soft snores and smiled when he saw Harriett. She was on the sofa, sheets pulled just beneath her chin. Sleeping comfortably on her chest was his kitten.

She seemed to favor Harriett more so than she did him.

"Traitor," Naruto whispered playfully as he approached them. He pressed the palm of his hand gently atop Harriett's head and smiled when she did.

As he made his way towards the door, he jumped slightly at the sudden hoot from Hedwig's cage, his glowing yellow eyes watching him intently as he moved. He momentarily forgot about the owl and was reinforced in his decision to forgo the bird in favor of his cat, which he had yet to name.

After reigning in his beating heart, he left the warmth of the home and found himself in the chill of the early morning dawn. As his breath condensed into mist, Naruto found himself shivering. After living his entire life in the arid climate of fire country, he had yet to acclimate to the cold England weather.

When he finally made his way to the barn, he found Jiraiya had illuminated the small area with two kerosene lamps.

"You ready?" Jiraiya asked.

"Not really but let's do this," Naruto said, taking off the wool sweater Janice had knitted for him, carefully setting it on the wooden fence of the horse's enclosure.

They bowed at one another before each taking a stance. Naruto did, at least. He frowned seeing his godfather standing lax, his arms at his side, his expression serious. He knew he was far from being on the same level as Jiraiya, but to see him at near ease, it ignited something within him.

That spark proved useless as their spar was short lived and overwhelmingly one sided. Naruto's fighting style amounted to little more than that of a brawler. An amalgamation of moves he'd learn from observing others spar from afar. The academy certainly didn't teach him all that much, and what little they did, he would later discover was purposefully misleading and useless.

Without ample use of his clones to distract and overwhelm, Naruto had to fight with instinct and determination driving him, whilst Jiraiya countered with skill and strength.

Sheer will power and luck had been enough in the past, but now, no matter how hard Naruto tried, he could not land a single blow to his godfather. Jiraiya would either block or parry his strikes, punishing what he perceived to be sloppy technique with counter blows. Considering his fighting style was nothing but flurry of blind strikes and thoughtless kicks, that resulted in him being beaten relentlessly until he could no longer stand.

A particularly harsh strike to the midsection left Naruto breathless and on a knee. When he tried to stand, a sharp digging pain had him falling down again, spitting red from a previous knee to the face.

"I submit," Naruto gasped, defeated.

"I know what we have to work on first," Jiraiya said as he slowly helped Naruto to his feet.

"Everything?" Naruto muttered. "You kicked my ass. I didn't stand a chance."

His godfather led him to a tool chest and Naruto allowed himself to fall onto it, leaning against the cold and damp wall of the barn, wincing as he did so.

"That's insulting, Naruto," Jiraiya said, crouching before him. "Not to sound full of myself, but I'm a Sage. Beyond that, I've been a Shinobi for more than twice as long as you've been alive. You're strong and your determination is nothing to scoff at, but you're years away from being able to beat me."

"Yeah, rub it in why don't ya," Naruto said with a painful exhale.

"That's not what I'm trying to do, Naruto." Jiraiya said with a sigh of his own, reaching forward to ruffle his hair. "You did about as good as I was expecting considering we were both fighting with a handicap. That being our lack of chakra to enhance our strength and speed, but our fight was certainly revealing."

"It was?" Naruto asked. He felt a semblance of relief knowing he at least didn't disappoint his godfather.

"Yes, for starters, I now realize that I shouldn't have tried only focusing on training you to use the Kyuubi's power. That was my mistake because in doing so, I ignored the fact that you've got no real fighting style," Jiraiya said, his cheeks bulging in an indication he was clenching his teeth. "Granted, both the academy and then Kakashi should have taught you at least the basics, but I can't shake my own blame in this."

"That's what you're doing now, old man. Better late than never," Naruto said with a smile. "And besides, it's not like you haven't been teaching me anything. I know the Rasengan because of you. Not to mention my ability to walk on water, and now seals. You've already done more for me than anyone. I'm sorry if I forget that sometimes."

Jiraiya stared at Naruto for a few moments before breaking out into a grin.

"I guess I am a pretty great sensei, aren't I?" He boasted.

"Well, I wouldn't say great," Naruto dismissed. "Three out of ten, maybe."

"Why such a low number?" Jiraiya deadpanned.

"I knocked five points off because you're still a perv," Naruto said, returning his flat stare.

They held each other, both trying to fend of the humor.

"So an eight then," Jiraiya muttered with a smile. "I'll take it. Anyway, back to your training. A month isn't going to be enough time to teach you a fighting style, so for now we need to focus on building up your core strength. You have the stamina, but you need to be able to take a beating."

"Wouldn't it be better if I avoided taking a beating all together?" Naruto questioned.

"Ideally, yes, but more likely than not, there's always going to be someone out there that's stronger than you. While it is true that most battles are conducted and won with skill, it's ignorant to believe that luck doesn't sometimes play a factor in it. That's why, if you ever find yourself against overwhelming odds, you need to be able to take the punishment until the right opportunity presents itself," Jiraiya said.

"So, what you're basically saying is that I have to build up my body strength?" Naruto asked.

"Now you're getting it! These muscles aren't just for attracting the ladies!" Jiraiya boasted, flexing his biceps.

"You're gross," Naruto said, spitting another wad of blood to the side. He could feel a cut on the inside of his bottom lip with his tongue. "And what's with the work around? Just say that next time."

"Damned brat," Jiraiya said with a smirk. "Let's get you cleaned up before your little girlfriend wakes up and sees you like this. I don't need her mad at me for beating you up."

"One of these days, old man," Naruto said, shaking a fist at his godfather with a laugh which turned into a groan. "I'm gonna feel this for a couple of days."

"Oh quit your complaining," Jiraiya said, offering him his hand. "Consider yourself lucky you're half Uzumaki. That and you're young; you'll heal up in no time."

After a quick shower, Naruto entered the kitchen room to find Harriett and Janice preparing breakfast. He walked holding his side, sitting at the table slowly and with a groan.

"Naruto, are you okay?" Harriett asked, immediately dropping what she was doing to rush to his side.

Her concern was heartwarming and it reminded him of just why he loved his friend so much.

"I'm fine. Just uh, slept on my side funny," Naruto lied and hated doing so to his friend. "I'll be okay."

He had every intention of revealing to her almost every truth he kept from her but he had to do so when the time was right. In the kitchen and in the presence of Janice was not that time.

* * *

After two weeks, Harriett quickly found herself acclimating to life on the farm. After the terse first day, Harriett found herself feeling wholly welcomed. Janice was as nice as Naruto proclaimed. In fact, she was almost everything she had envisioned in a grandmother when she heard the other kids mention theirs.

Harriett would often get up extra early without complaint to help the woman prepare breakfast. She had been absolutely mortified when she made her first mistake, once again burning the eggs she was tasked with making. However, instead of shouting at her like her aunt Petunia would, Janice took it upon herself to teach her how to cook with a patients that was unheard of in the Dursley's household.

Beyond her cooking duties, Harriett enjoyed helping Janice with her chores. Despite the elder woman making it clear she hadn't the need to. While Naruto and Jiraiya did the heavy lifting and more strenuous work, she helped gather the eggs every morning, learned how to milk a cow, and found herself enjoying grooming the two horses.

Contrary to how he interacted with his godson, Jiraiya was very patient with her. When Harriett insisted she help them beyond her duties, he would do his best to implement her in any way he could. He would hold the feed while she threw it at the chickens, finding it amusing watching the white and brown flocks rush to the areas where she threw the feed. It was quickly becoming one of her favorite activities.

Most important of all, she was able to spend time with Naruto. Well, as much as she could. He did have his own responsibilities. And, for one reason or another, he seemed to be exercising to an extent she didn't think believable. He would often carry two bags of feed, one on each shoulder while running circles around the property for hours at a day. He also had taken to flipping the spare tractor tire back and forth across the unused fields. And, in perhaps the most extreme display of his strength, she once found him pulling the old farm truck via a rope thrown over his shoulder.

He did so uphill.

Naruto never did have a straight answer for when she inquired as to why he was wearing himself down day after day other than that he wanted to be stronger.

Soon, Harriett found herself growing used to her life on the farm with her best friend and his godfather. There were some days, as she sat at the dinner table, listening to the two argue playfully, laughing when Janice chastised them equally as playful, that she felt truly at home. Something she never had. Only she was reminded of their upcoming departure every time she allowed Hedwig out of his cage, and when she would hold her wand in hand, wondering how it worked and just what she could do with it.

If not for her parent's history at Hogwarts, Harriett would have been content with merely staying where she was. Feeling happier than she did at any moment in her life, living on a quaint farm on the countryside.

Harriett had been putting up the dishes when she heard the screen door open and close. She hurried to the living room to find Naruto and Jiraiya, both appeared marred with dirt and grease. They had been working with little progress to repair the old tractor which had broken down two days earlier.

"You sure look tired," Harriett commented with a small smile.

"Yeah, that thing's a pain in the a – erm, butt," Naruto said as he dragged his feet to the sofa. Just as he was about to sit, his godfather came up behind him and smacked him on the back of his head. "Hey!"

"You're dirty, wash up and get dressed before sitting down," Jiraiya said.

"Whatever," Naruto grumbled, making his way to the bathroom. However, before he did, his godfather stopped him again, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What now?"

"It's ready," Jiraiya said, glancing in her direction.

Naruto's appeared surprised, looking to her as well.

"It is?" He asked.

Now, Harriett was very curious as to what was ready and even more, as to why they were both staring at her.

"Yeah, go ahead and shower while I set up the room. It should be ready by the time you get out," Jiraiya said.

"Gotcha!" Naruto said before rushing into the bathroom, only to come out a moment later, appearing sheepish. He ran into their shared room with Jiraiya, coming back out with a towel and a change of clothing under his arms.

"I swear, that kid," Jiraiya said with a shake of his head.

"Mr. Jiraiya?" Harriett began cautiously.

"What is it, young lady?" Jiraiya asked, putting on a smile.

"Oh, well," Harriett stared at her feet. "What's ready, that is if you don't mind my asking?"

"You'll find out when Naruto's done. He's going to show you something," Jiraiya said, suddenly appearing troubled. "Just take it with an open mind, will ya?"

That exchange left Harriett even more confused and curious as to what her friend was going to show her. However, before she could further question Jiraiya, the man disappeared into his room, closing the door behind him.

How curious, Harriett thought as she sat herself on the sofa, Naruto's kitten jumping on her lap as she did so. She petted the cat, listening to the shower run in the otherwise silent room. Hedwig was out to wherever it was he disappeared to throughout the day, while Janice was away to the city taking care of the farm's finances.

Almost as if timed, Naruto and Jiraiya both found themselves in the living room at the same time.

"Everything's in order," Jiraiya said, patting his godson's shoulder. "Good luck."

"Thanks, old man," Naruto said before motioning her over. "Come on, Harriett, I've got something to show you."

Harriett followed him into their room, a place she had only entered twice since first arriving on the farm. She immediately surveyed the room, looking for what he could possibly wish to show her. She found nothing but a neat room with twin beds on either side.

Without saying anything, Naruto closed the door behind him. Harriett was about to ask what he had to show her when he abruptly bit his thumb with his canines. She gasped as he smeared the blood on the door in a line.

"Naruto!" Harriett cried. "What are you doing?" She asked, unbelieving of how so easily he hurt himself.

Her confusion grew seeing something appear on the door. It was a black circle with multiple, intricate looking swirls leading towards the center. There was something oddly beautiful about the design, familiar almost, though she couldn't quite place what that may be.

"I've got a lot to explain," Naruto began.

"Did you just do magic?" Harriett voiced the first thought that came to mind. "Hagrid said we aren't supposed to do magic outside of Hogwarts."

"That's not magic, Harriett. That's called Fuinjutsu, or the Sealing Arts. It's a Shinobi skill from where I'm from," Naruto said.

Fuinjutsu, Sealing Arts, Shinobi? None of what he was saying was making any sense to Harriett and the seriousness he displayed in that moment was jarring and disconcerting.

"Where you're from? You mean America? Do you know magic from America?" Harriett asked.

"I'm not from America," Naruto said.

"Japan then?" Harriett guessed, recalling him saying he was born and orphaned in Japan.

"No, not from Japan either," Naruto said, motioning to his bed. "Let's sit down, this is going to be kinda hard to explain."

"Naruto, what's going on?" Harriett asked as she sat herself beside her friend. "You're worrying me."

"Harriett," Naruto began following an elongated sigh. "I'm not from this world."

After everything he'd said thus far, that made the least amount of sense.

"Not from this world? What do you mean?" Harriett asked.

"I'm gonna explain but I want you to listen to me without any interruptions. You can ask me anything you want to know after," Naruto said. "But first; do you trust me, Harriett?"

"I do," Harriett said. It was the first thought to come to her mind the moment he asked the question. There wasn't anyone in her life she trusted more than her friend.

"Thank you," Naruto said with a wide and relieved smile. "Now, I guess I should start at the beginning, huh? Twelve years ago, on October tenth, I was born in a place called Konohagakure; or the Village Hidden in the Leaves..."

Harriett listened in rapt attention and with eyes wide as Naruto attempted to explain to her his life in another world. A world full of superhuman people capable of spewing fire and destroying mountains with their bare hands.

Naruto described to her his time in a school teaching him to be a killer for the sake of his village. He also recounted his short time on a team that never truly accepted him, with an instructor that would rather read than to teach him.

He also recounted a great invasion by a snake-man which resulted in the death of someone he held close; the village leader himself, the Hokage, or the Fire Shadow. Then of his meeting his godfather, twelve years late, and their prompt trip in search of the next Fire Shadow, a troubled woman of great strength.

Naruto ended his tale by recounting the events leading up to his arrival to what he believed to be another world entirely, different yet similar in some aspects to his own. He and his godfather were forced into a harrowing battle with an evil organization, with equal aspirations. Their attempt at an escape had gone awry, resulting in their current situation.

Harriett couldn't believe it.

It wasn't as if she thought Naruto was lying to her. The idea that her best friend was from another world entirely certainly was hard to accept. However, what Harriett outright refused to believe was the idea that her friend could be a killer. His short temper aside, he was the kindest person she'd ever met.

"Have you," Harriett paused, trying to find the words to voice her question. "Have you...killed anyone, Naruto?"

"No," Naruto said, looking away. "I was only a Shinobi a few months before everything happened."

Harriett felt relieve flood her, leaving her in a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She could not imagine her friend committing such a heinous act.

With that out of the way, she had many questions, though she wasn't sure where to begin. In his explanation, Naruto had briefly explained what certain foreign sounding words meant, like Shinobi being the title for a male ninja.

"You mentioned Ju-st-oos - "

"Ju-tsu, but you can just call 'em techniques," Naruto corrected. "Sorry."

"Right, jutsu. You said they were techniques that allowed people to perform magic-like acts. Can you spit fire too?" Harriett asked.

"Erm, well no I can't but Sasuke could, I don't think I know as many techniques as he did," Naruto admitted, palming the back of his head.

Harriett frowned briefly at the mention of the boy who had been so mean to her friend. From the way Naruto described him, she wouldn't want to meet him.

"Well what techniques do you know?" She asked, truly curious.

His eyes seemed to light up at the question.

"You want to see a few?" Naruto asked.

"I would like that, yes," Harriett said.

At her affirmation, he jumped to his feet.

"I've been waiting so long to do this again," Naruto said with audible excitement. "Watch this!"

Harriett paid close attention as Naruto crossed his fingers to almost resemble a T-shape, and jumped at the sudden pop and cloud of smoke at his side. She blinked a few times, wondering if somehow her glasses were reflecting her friend oddly because suddenly, there were two of him.

"Hello, Harriett!" The look alike said with a bright smile and an accompanying wave.

The original Naruto, the one whom she had speaking to moments earlier, was looking at her with anticipation. He did not speak or wave when the other did, dispelling the idea of a reflection.

"T-There's two of you!" Harriett squeaked, pointing at his copy.

"Yep!" Naruto said, throwing his arm over his clone, who responded in kind. "This technique is called the Kage no Bunshin, or the Shadow Clone in English."

"Is he real?" Harriett asked before thinking. Though she supposed she had the proof smiling down at her.

"As real as you and me," Naruto said before suddenly elbowing his clone in the ribs. Harriett gasped at the act, watching as the look alike flinched before disappearing in a similar fashion as his appearance, in a cloud of smoke and with a pop. "They disappear after getting hit, though."

Naruto seemed to blink after having spoken, seemingly confused as he touched the left section of his ribs.

"That's amazing!" Harriett exclaimed. "To be able to make a copy of yourself, how do you do it?"

"Oh I can make more than one! The most I've made was around a hundred maybe?" Naruto said ponderously.

"One hundred!" Harriett said in disbelief. The idea of seeing a hundred of her friend's was one hard to imagine.

"As to how I make 'em, well," Naruto's face scrunched up into concentration. "It's kinda hard to explain exactly how it works. I just make this hand sign," he said, making the same gesture as before, "and channel my chakra. The more chakra I use, the more I can make."

"You said chakra was like magic, do you think I could do that too?" Harriett asked. She didn't know what she would do with copies of herself but the idea was too exciting not to attempt.

"I'm not sure if they are the same thing," Naruto said, seating himself beside her again. "That's what me and the old man have been trying to figure out lately, but since we're not allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts, and we've kinda been trying to stay hidden, we haven't been using our chakra."

"Why are you trying to stay hidden?" Harriett asked.

"Well, the old man says it could be dangerous if we were discovered by a government. Before we learned of the Wizarding World, we didn't know there were people out there who could do things similar to what we can do. Jiraiya says people would try to use us for our power. Or outright try to kill us for being a threat," Naruto explained.

Harriett gasped at the mention of her friend's possible demise.

"Then why are you doing it now? You could get hurt!" She shouted without meaning to.

"That's what that seal on the door's for," Naruto said, thumbing in the direction of the complicated drawing. "Apparently the old man's been working on it for some time and only just finished it. As long as the seal is activated, and we're in this room, no one should be able to detect our chakra."

"Oh," Harriett muttered, feeling relief knowing her friend had not put himself in possible danger just to show her his abilities. That's when she recalled something. "I remember seeing some of those in your home! I meant to ask you about them but, oh well, with everything that happened, I forgot."

"I may not be as good as the old man, but I'm learning to make seals too. There's a lot you can do with them, like this," Naruto pressed his left hand to his right forearm and with a pop and a much smaller plume of smoke than before, a book appeared in his hand. "This is a storage seal. Almost anything can be sealed within a seal. Oh, this is for you, by the way."

Still flabbergasted by what she had just witnessed, Harriett received the offered book, glancing down at it idly. When she did finally read the title, her eyes shot up to meet his.

"This is the book Hagrid said I couldn't have!" She said.

"Yup, I love doing pranks, so I thought I'd get us a copy. Figured as soon as we could both do magic; we could try some on the Dursleys." Naruto said.

"But we're not supposed to use magic outside of school," Harriett said.

"Yeah but, that's because we don't know if there's a way for the people at Hogwarts to know if we used magic or not. Other than getting caught, anyway. I'm hoping to figure that out at Hogwarts. That way if they can't me and Jiraiya can go back to using our chakra again!" Naruto said.

"That makes sense I suppose," Harriett said, looking down at the joke book in her hands. Her excitement was gone by then as she considered something, wondering how it had taken her until that moment to realize it . "Naruto?" She began.

"What's wrong, didn't you want the book?" Naruto asked.

"Do you want to go back home?" Harriett asked, fearing his answer.

"Yeah!" We've been trying to get back ever since we..." Naruto trailed off, saying the final three words slowly, his eyes widening. "I mean, not right away! We still don't really know how we got here, well, we do but we don't know how to get back! That's why I'm going to Hogwarts, so I can maybe find a way back home..."

"Oh," Harriett muttered, continuing to look down at the book in her lap.

"Ah, but you could come with us!" Naruto quickly added. "Ya'know, if we find a way back! I know I said the Elemental Nations is kinda dangerous, but it's not _that_ dangerous. Konoha's actually pretty safe! Nothing ever happens there! Well, except for the invasion I told you about," he finished with a sigh, palming his forehead with an audible slap.

Harriett wasn't sure how to take that. She didn't want her friend to leave despite knowing how selfish it was of her to think that way. And before learning of her parents and their link to Hogwarts, she would have jumped at the chance to leave her life with the Dursleys. Now, however, things were different.

"I don't know," Harriett said.

"Look, let's not think about that right now," Naruto said, placing an arm over her shoulder, pulling her close.

Harriett leaned into the side-ways embrace, fearing the day Naruto would have to leave her and the choice she would have to make.

"Okay," she muttered again.

"Harriett," Naruto sounded somber. "Don't think I'm going anywhere anytime soon. As it is now, we have no idea how we could get back. And while I may be going to Hogwarts to see if there's a way for us to get back using magic, there's no guaranteeing I'll find anything that'll help. But beyond all that, do you remember what you asked me earlier, about how I could pay you back?"

"I asked you never to leave me," Harriett said, realizing now with her newfound knowledge, just how selfish it was of her to request that.

"I don't break my promises, Harriett," Naruto said, pulling back to look at her. "That's my Shinobi way!"

"But what if you do find a way back and I want to stay here?" Harriett asked.

Naruto was silent for a few passing moments, before offering her a smile, one that was painfully false as she knew well from his past smiles.

"Then I'm staying right here!" He proclaimed.

But he didn't mean it. Harriett was almost certain Naruto would stay if she asked him to, but that would not be fair of her.

"Okay," she said.

* * *

The revelation of who he was had not gone as well as Naruto would have liked. After the talk about his returning back to the Elemental Nations, Harriett's enthusiasm seemed to have evaporated. Even when he showed her his ability to walk on walls and his Rasengan, her reactions were dimmed. She was surprised with every display, but the light in her eyes was unmistakably gone.

Harriett seemed to have retreated back into herself, carrying around with her an invisible weight that Naruto had not witnessed since their reunion. Try as he might, he couldn't fix what he had inadvertently done. His every attempt ended in failure, resulting in yet another divide between them. One that seemed to grow by the day and he was at his wits end.

Naruto was allayed that he decided not to reveal he had an old and angry fox sealed inside of him; because, if Harriett's reaction to his possible return home was of any indication, he wasn't sure how well she would have taken it. She was already distancing herself from him as it were, the last thing he wanted was for her to think he was a monster.

Though more importantly, Naruto didn't want to lose his friend again.

"Old man," he whispered.

It was late at night and both he and Jiraiya were in bed after a long day's work. It had been a little over a week since his godfather had created the seal which allowed them to suppress their chakra within a room. With his departure to Hogwarts fast approaching, in three days' time to be exact, they had been training as much as possible within such a confined area.

Jiraiya offered a sleepy hum as his acknowledgment.

"I think I may have screwed up again," Naruto admitted.

Jiraiya released a drawn-out sigh.

"What did you do this time?" He asked tiredly.

"Harriett asked if I intended on returning home and I told her we were working on a way back," Naruto said. "She obviously wants me to stay and when I offered for her to come with us instead, she didn't seem to want to."

"What do you want me to say, kid?" Jiraiya asked. "We're going to get back home eventually. If she can't accept that then maybe it's best for her to stay here, in her world. The Elemental Nations is no place for a girl like her."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto asked, leaning on his elbow to look in the direction of his godfather. Being a cloudy night, their room was pitch black so he couldn't really see much beyond his bed.

"She's too meek," Jiraiya said. "We're Shinobi, kid. We lead dangerous lives. I mean, sure, she could live in the village but Orochimaru's attack on Konoha proves that nowhere is truly safe."

Naruto laid back in bed, staring up at the darkness above. That was not the advice he was wanting to hear. Truth be told; he wasn't sure what he wanted to hear. He had not thought about his home in a long time, a fact he had realized after his talk with Harriett.

Thinking on it now, he wasn't too sure if he really wanted to return, given the opportunity. As much as Naruto missed his limited friend pool, the idea of going back to a place that hated him was not one he found entirely pleasant. He would be lying to himself if he claimed otherwise.

Harriett had been the best friend he'd ever had in his life. She seemed to care for him because of who he was. She didn't require he be strong, or that he hail from any prestigious clan. He didn't have to act like a fool to make her laugh, even if he did so at times inadvertently.

Naruto didn't want to lose that, but neither did he want to give up on returning home all together. It wouldn't be fair to those few that cared for him. He also couldn't ignore the threat of the Akatsuki presented those like him, and to the Elemental Nations as a whole.

But was it up to him to stop them?

Naruto wanted to believe it wasn't, but again, he could not lie to himself, no matter how much he wanted to.

Truth be told, Naruto didn't know what he wanted any more when in regards to his home in the Elemental Nations. All he knew was that he didn't want to lose his best friend.

He fell asleep without finding answers to all of his questions.

Finally, the day of their departure to Hogwarts had arrived.

Breakfast was tense and quiet, a stark contrast to the lively event it once was. Even Janice, who was usually the most chipper of them all, ate her oatmeal in silence.

Harriett was eating slowly, never once looking up from her bowl while Jiraiya did the same. Naruto watched them all, wondering how he could fix what he wasn't sure had broken.

He never did find what to say to cheer up Harriett. To reassure her that he would never willingly leave her, but depending on her choice, he may very well have to.

"We should get going soon if you guys want to make it to the train station on time," Jiraiya said abruptly, cutting through the terse silence. "I'll load your things in the truck while you two finish up."

Without waiting for a response, he left the room.

"You know, I'll miss you two very much," Janice spoke up, garnering both of their attention. "I forgot how lively this home could be with so many faces. My children are all grown up now, with children of their own who no longer wish to visit some dirty old farm."

Janice was under the impression that Harriett and himself were going away to some random boarding school in Manchester. She knew only faintly of Harriett's troubles at home, but didn't question as to how they had secured her custody. The less she knew, the better, Jiraiya had said.

"They don't know what their missing," Naruto said, meaning every word he said.

In the short time that he'd known Janice and her immense kindness, she had become yet another reason to question his return home. From what Jiraiya told him, both of his parents were themselves orphans, his father from birth and his mother due to a war between conspiring nations. Despite how he mocked Tsunade by calling her a grandmother, she was really only a friend to him. Janice on the other hand, was what he would have liked in a grandmother.

His words were rewarded with a smile.

"You're a good boy, Naruto. Never forget that," Janice said, turning to Harriett next. "Harriett, I know I've only known you a short month, but I can say with complete honesty that you have to be the sweetest little girl I've ever met."

"Thank you, Mrs. Thatcher," Harriett said with a smile of her own.

"Now, I don't mean to pry into your private matters, but whatever happened between you two, I want you both to know that the friendship you share is special. I've seen it with my own eyes and believe me when I say that this old woman has been around," Janice said with a smile and a short chuckle.

Naruto looked over to Harriett, who was looking at him before she quickly turned away the moment their eyes met.

That hurt him.

"Friends, true friends, are a rare commodity in this life. We may have many along the way, but true friends are far and few between. In fact, some unfortunate souls can go through an entire lifetime without knowing the pleasures of a true friendship. Please don't throw that away over a silly squabble," Janice spoke with the tone of a Sage. "Life's simply too short to spend it fighting."

Naruto looked down at his empty bowl, mulling over her words, finding truth in them. For as much as he cared for and cherished every friend he ever made, Harriett was without a doubt the most important person to him.

"Did you have a best friend, Mrs. Janice?" Harriett asked.

Naruto glanced at Harriett and then at Janice, who was still smiling at them.

"Of course, the best friend I could ever hope for," she said, holding up her left hand, wriggling the finger holding her wedding ring.

Naruto looked at Harriett, who was now staring back at him.

"I'm sorry!" They both said at the same exact time.

"I'll give you two a moment," Janice said with a giggle.

As soon as she was gone, Naruto spoke first.

"Listen, Harriett, we still have a long time to think about this," he began, trying to find the right words. "I don't want you to feel like you have to come with me and I won't break my promise. I mean, there's no telling if we'll even find a way back. And honestly, if we don't, I wouldn't mind staying here, with you."

Harriett's eyes were wide and shining with tears unshed.

"I feel the same!" She said. "And I would go with you if you do find a way back. By then I think I would have learned all I could about my parents. I don't care where we are as long as I'm with you."

Naruto laughed in relief, running his hand through his hair with a smile he could not control even if he wanted to.

"How about we shelve this for later? If that day ever comes, we'll talk about this again, but until then, I think we should just focus on learning everything we can about your parents," Naruto suggested. He was treated to one of her famous, to himself at least, and quite possibly the largest dimpled smile he ever witnessed from his friend.

"I'd like that," Harriett said.

After a long and tight hug, Naruto walked out of the kitchen hand in hand with Harriett, ignoring his godfather along the way who appeared stupefied by something.

"What'd I miss?"

After tearful goodbye's and promises to write, they departed Janice's farm, waving back at the woman from the rearview window until she was swallowed by the hills.

Following a short drive, they pulled into the lot of the train station which appeared to be buzzing with activity.

"Remember what I told you," Jiraiya said, leaning over the steering column to regard him.

"Lay low and avoid using my abilities," Naruto said.

"What else?" Jiraiya said.

"Don't engage any potential enemies unless first engaged," Naruto droned.

"And?" Jiraiya pressed.

"And I'm pretty sure that's it," Naruto said with a shrug.

"Don't be foolish, Naruto. Your mission is to let me know if there are any beautiful witches!" Jiraiya proclaimed.

"Let's go, Harriett," Naruto said, opening the truck door.

"Alright, alright, I'm joking," Jiraiya said, becoming serious for a moment. "Your real mission here is to learn all you can of the Wizarding World. However, if you find yourself in a situation you don't think you can handle, then don't hesitate to use your old man's technique. Even if it means exposing yourself."

"Gotcha, old man," Naruto said.

"Alright, be safe you two, and I want you each to write me as soon as you can," Jiraiya said, giving them both a smile.

"Will do," Naruto said, offering his godfather his fist. "See ya soon, sensei."

"Goodbye, Mr. Jiraiya," Harriett said. "I'll make sure to write."

After exchanging a few more parting words, they found themselves pushing their things in carts, trying to weave through the masses. They were having a hard time finding platform nine and three-quarters. They had circled platforms eight and nine a few times before stopping in between the two.

"All these platforms are whole numbers. Maybe we should ask someone?" Harriett suggested.

"Let's look one more time before we do," Naruto said.

"But we're running out of time, the train is scheduled to leave in ten minutes," Harriett said, beginning to sound panicked.

"We'll find it," Naruto reassured. Though inwardly he was beginning to worry.

Before they could go around in another circle, Naruto caught sight of a family of redheads standing out amongst the crowd. There were five in total, a mother, a pair of older identical twins, a boy about their age, and a little girl. What had garnered his attention was the carts they pushed, similar to theirs, each containing caged owls like Harriett's own.

Before his very eyes, one of the twins began towards the space in between platforms nine and ten, running cart first into the wall. Or so Naruto expected. Instead, the boy vanished into the wall, seemingly swallowed by the bricks in a subtle ripple. After exchanging prompt and inaudible words with his mother, the other twin too ran into the wall, gone in a blink.

"This way," Naruto said, making his way towards the small family with Harriett close on his tail. "Excuse me," he called to the woman.

"Yes dear?" The woman asked with a smile that radiated kindness. She was short and plump, reminding Naruto much of Janice. At their approach, the little girl holding her hand retreated behind her mother, staring at them with large browns shimmering with shy curiosity.

"I just saw your sons run into the wall; is this by chance platform nine and three-quarters?" Naruto asked.

"First year for you both, I'm assuming?" She asked and at their nods, she motioned to her remaining son. "It's Ron's first year too."

At the mention of his name, the boy waved awkwardly at them. He was about his height, scrawny, and had freckles splashed across his face.

"Sure is," Naruto said. "We're both kinda new to this magic thing, so we don't really know what we're doing."

"I understand," the woman said. "Now, all you have to do is walk into the platform there. You might crash if you're nervous, so it's best to just run at it. Not to worry, though, it never fails. Why don't you two go first before Ron?"

"Naruto?" Harriett said his name with audible uncertainty. A feeling he shared.

"I'll go first," Naruto said. That way, if it was some fluke, he would take the crash better than his friend would. "Thank you, ma'am," he said, figuring it didn't hurt to be nice in the event she was telling the truth.

"You're very welcome, young man," the woman said.

"Well," Naruto sighed, holding his cart with one hand and the other securing his kitten on his shoulder. "Here goes nothing."

Naruto had his apprehensions in running full speed at the wall, but he'd seen the other boys do it. Taking in a deep breath, he did just that, likely doing so faster than needed, but the woman seemed to place emphasis on the no hesitation.

In a blink, Naruto found himself before a train distinctive in appearance than the other's he'd seen thus far. Steam bellowed from the train, floating lazily above the crowds of people. There were children of varying ages, some already on the train, their heads out of the window, chatting with their families. Others were still outside the train, hugging and crying at their upcoming departure.

If the magic wall, flocks of caged owls, and free roaming cats wasn't enough to convince him he was in the right place, the sign hanging above the steam train certainly erased any doubts Naruto had.

 _ **Hogwarts Express**_

"Amazing!"

Naruto hadn't realized when Harriett had made her way through the brick wall. She was currently entranced by the sights, just as he was.

"Let's hurry and get on while there's still room," Naruto said.

They pushed through the crowd and boarded the train. Once inside they passed through many compartments filled with new faces, all chatting amongst themselves with excitement. Finally, they reached one that was empty, near the end of the train.

The compartment was small and cozy, with seating capable of at least six people and an open view of the outside. Naruto placed their things in the empty spaces above their heads before seating himself next to his friend.

"We made it," Harriett said with a smile.

"Excited?" Naruto asked, knowing full well she was, if the smile on her face was of any indication.

"I am! I can't wait to learn magic and make spells like yours," Harriett said.

"It should be an interesting year," Naruto said with a smile of his own. He hadn't experienced such anticipation since his awaited reunion with Harriett and his becoming a Genin before then.

They both heard a slight commotion outside. Naruto glanced at Harriett just as she did the same before both looked out the window to see the family from before. The matriarch of the family was doting over the youngest boy, who was immediately mocked by the twins.

Their mother chastised them for doing so, before warning against another year of pranks. Naruto's ears perked at the mention of pranks. He had a sneaking suspicion he would get along with the twins should he ever get the chance to meet with them.

"They seem nice," Harriett said, watching the family's affectionate squabble. There was an unmistaken longing in her eyes and it was a sentiment he could relate to.

Abruptly, the train's whistle blew, putting an end to the family's time together. Naruto felt his heart churn with emotion as he watched the little girl chase after the train, waving with a smile and tears until her small legs could no longer keep up.

Just as they had settled back into their seats, there was a knock at the door before it slid open, revealing the youngest of the male redheads from before.

"Mind if I join you?" He asked politely and with nervous undertones. "Everywhere else is full."

"Go ahead," Naruto said.

"Thanks mate," the boy said. "Name's Ron, by the way, Ronald Weasley, but I'd much appreciate it if you'd just call me Ron."

"Naruto Uzumaki," Naruto introduced himself, presenting the boy his fist. He stared at it in confusion. "You're supposed to bump it."

"Bump it?" Ron asked, clearly confused.

"Make a fist," Naruto instructed following a discrete roll of his eyes. Ron did as he was asked and Naruto pressed his fist against it. "There, like that."

"Is that like a handshake?" Ron asked.

"Something like that," Naruto said.

"Bloody wicked name, by the way," Ron said. "Naruto," he repeated the name a few times.

"Well, at least you can actually say it," Naruto said.

"I'm Harriett Potter," Harriett introduced herself, also presenting her fist.

This had Naruto smiling as she'd never done that before.

"H-Harriett Potter?" The boy stuttered. "As in _the_ Harriett Potter? The Girl Who Lived?"

"Just Harriett," Naruto interjected.

"Do you have the scar?" Ron blurted.

Harriett seemed to sink into her seat.

"Listen, Ron," Naruto began, taking a tone that immediately garnered the boy's attention. "If you're gonna sit with us, there'll be no personal questions about Harriett, got it?"

"But there's nowhere else to sit," Ron muttered.

"Then don't ask any questions," Naruto said. He almost felt bad for the way he was speaking to the meek boy but he didn't want his friend to relive the knowledge of just how she got the scar she was so intent on hiding.

"S-Sorry," Ron apologized, looking down.

"It's okay," Harriett said with a friendly smile. "I just don't like talking about it."

"I understand," Ron said, "sorry again."

Harriett offered up her fist again and this time, Ron accepted it with a smile of his own.

Soon, the atmosphere within the small compartment returned to a lax one. That was until the subject of spells came up and Ron began to speak.

"You must know a lot of spells!" Ron said, leaning in his seat to regard her. "You're The Girl Who..." He trailed off and swallowed audibly at the look Naruto was giving him.

"I really don't," Harriett said before Naruto could. She offered him a quick look of reassurance before turning back to Ron. "I lived with my aunt and uncle. They didn't want to have anything to do with magic. I didn't learn about the Wizarding World until very recently."

"You mean you don't know about You-Know-Who?" Ron asked with a gasp.

"We know, we just don't like to talk about it," Naruto reminded him with an edge to his tone.

"Oh, sorry," Ron apologized again.

"It's alright," Harriett said. "You didn't know but Naruto's right. I'd rather not talk about it."

And just like that, all was tense. Outside, the grey city became green open fields and farmlands, the scenery becoming suddenly interesting to the three passengers. They were all offered a reprieve from the silence when there was a soft knock at the door before it was opened by a woman with a cart full of goods.

"Any off the carts, dearies?" She asked.

"I'm hungry after all that running," Harriett said, approaching the cart.

Naruto followed after her, feeling famished himself. They still had plenty of money after buying their supplies and considering he had no idea how long a train ride lay ahead; he decided a few snacks were in order.

Harriett decided she wanted all the snacks.

She purchased at least one of everything, two, if she was feeling particularly inclined to a certain type of candy or pastry. All of which appeared foreign, beyond his world and the one he now found himself in. Though somehow, they seemed fitting for what he was expecting of the Wizarding World.

"Am I supposed to eat this?" Naruto muttered to himself, staring at the chocolate frog inside the packaging, moving as though it were alive. Beneath it a card with the moving image of an old man, but he paid it no mind, flickering it out of the open window before eating the frog.

"Did you not want anything, Ron?" Harriett asked as she ate a pumpkin shaped pastry.

Ron seemed to fluster as he held up a brown paper bag.

"My mum made me sandwiches," he said, opening the bag he pulled out one of his sandwiches. He frowned as he inspected his food, the bread seemed to have been flattened at some point. "Again? I've told her I don't like corned beef."

"I'll trade you one for some of my candy," Harriett offered, seemingly sheepish. "I don't think I could eat it all."

"Speak for yourself," Naruto said, popping a green jelly bean into his mouth. So far, he had a brown one that tasted like chocolate, a pink one like strawberries, and a yellow bean that almost resembled ramen in flavor. Each tasted exactly like the food they were meant to mimic, unlike the candy he'd eaten from the local shops in the Muggle World. He decided he quite liked _Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans_. "These things are, argh - "

Suddenly, a horrid taste assaulted his mouth.

"Naruto, are you okay?" Harriett asked, worried.

"Uh, that was horrible," Naruto coughed. "Tasted like grass."

"How do you know how grass tastes like?" Harriett asked.

"Give me one of your sandwiches," Naruto said to Ron, offering him two handfuls of candy. "I need to get rid of the taste."

"When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor," Ron said with a laugh, accepting the trade. "Consider yourself lucky you didn't get one that tastes like spoiled milk." He finished, shivering.

Soon, Ron joined them in feasting on the candy. Personally, Naruto enjoyed the sandwiches, devouring three of the four, and then the other half Harriett couldn't finish.

After they had their fill, they settled down, chatting about everything and nothing at the same time. Ron was careful to avoid asking Harriett personal questions, glancing at Naruto almost every time he was about to speak.

Harriett on the other hand, was asking Ron questions about the magic world and he did his best to answer them all. His knowledge seemed limited to what his older brothers had told him, along with the magic practiced in his home.

Naruto, meanwhile, was stroking his slumbering kitten, watching the passing scenery. The wide-opened fields had come and gone, giving way to thick and sky-high forestry. It was almost reminiscent of Fire Country's forest, except the trees were darker in color, the soil black and moist instead of brown and dry.

The door to their compartment abruptly slid open, revealing a tearful and chubby boy with black hair and buck teeth.

"Sorry," he apologized, "but have any of you seen a toad?"

The three occupants all shared glances before collectively shaking their heads.

"I've lost him again!" The boy wailed. "He keeps slipping away from me!"

Naruto was glad he'd not gotten a toad. His kitten liked to sleep more than explore.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find him," Harriett tried to reassure.

The boy clambered off, sniffling.

"He should consider himself lucky," Ron said. "No one in their right minds would want a toad. Though I suppose I'm not one to talk, got stuck with Scabbers."

Naruto glanced at the large rat sleeping on Ron's lap.

He hated rats because he used to live with them. They liked to steal his food and once, he awoke to find one on his chest, beady eyes staring into his own.

"Maybe my cat will do us a favor and eat your rat," Naruto suggested playfully. "Well, when she's bigger, anyway."

"Maybe," Ron said with a look that suggested he was actually considering the idea.

Naruto could have sworn to see the rat's nose twitch as if in response to his words.

"Don't be mean," Harriett said, pushing his shoulder playfully.

Again, the compartment door slid open without warning. Standing before them was the sniffling boy from before, led by a familiar face.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost his," she said before seeing Naruto, her eyes lighting up in recognition. "Oh, Naruto. Fancy seeing you so soon."

"It's good to see you too, Hermione," Naruto said with a smile.

"Erm, do you know her?" Harriett asked.

"Yeah, this is Hermione. We met at the pet store," Naruto said.

Hermione took a seat directly in front of Naruto, looking at the sleeping kitten in his lap.

"Hermione Granger," she quickly introduced herself to the others, though her eyes never strayed from the kitten. "I see you chose her. I was going to but I ended up going with my Crookshanks. Have you a name for her yet?"

"Not exactly," Naruto said, stroking his kitten behind her ears, eliciting audible purrs. "Can't really think of one, if I'm being honest."

"Naming is an important part of pet ownership," Hermione said, her tone turning lecturing. She moved to sit in between Harriett and Naruto, earning a look of ire from the former. "I mean, how is she going to answer to you if you haven't a name to call?"

"Eh, well she just kinda does her own thing," Naruto answered, unsure of how to take her behavior. "I'll think of something eventually."

"See that you do," Hermione said before finally acknowledging the others in the compartment. "Who may you be?"

"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron said.

"Harriett Potter," Harriett muttered reluctantly and with something of a frown.

"Are you really?" Hermione's voice pitched. "I've read all about you in my books. I had to read something after I was done with _Hogwarts: A History_. You're in _Modern Magical History_ and _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_."

"Am I?" Harriett muttered, sounding troubled.

"I figured you of all people would know," Hermione continued. "Well, I know I would have done my research."

"Actually - " Naruto began but Hermione was quick to interrupt him again.

"So, do any of you know what House you'll be in?" She asked. The question was broad but Hermione was looking at Naruto alone. "I've been asking around and I hear nothing but good things about Gryffindor. I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, so I hope that's where I'll be."

"I'm not really sure - " Harriett tried but Hermione immediately continued.

"I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad, I hear they place great importance in knowledge," she said. "What about you, Naruto, where would you like be placed in?"

"I don't know," Naruto admitted. "I read a little about each house fromthe book you mentioned earlier, _Hogwarts: A History._ I don't really care which as long as I'm in it with Harriett."

Hermione's eyes seemed to shine.

"You like to read too?" She asked.

"I wouldn't say that," Naruto said, palming the back of his head. "But it's not like I mind, if it's interesting."

It was true. Jiraiya had purchased books in bulk; scoping out the competition, he called it. Naruto kept the books his godfather didn't deem graphic enough, taking to reading them in his free time before he reunited with his friend.

"I've got plenty of interesting books," Hermione said with a large smile. "I wouldn't mind sharing some with you."

"Ah, sure," Naruto said without really meaning it.

"Then I do hope we'll be in the same House. You do not know how hard it is to find people who like to read," Hermione said.

"Can't be that hard," Harriett muttered.

"Hermione," Neville sniffled.

"Oh, right," Hermione stood and smiled down at him. "Well, I've got to help Neville look for his toad. Also, we're almost there so you'd best get your robes on. I hope to see you again soon, Naruto."

"Yeah, me too, Hermione," Naruto said with a smile of his own. He was beginning to see that, talkative as she was, the girl seemed friendly enough.

And with that, Hermione and Neville departed in search of his toad.

"I hope she isn't in Gryffindor," Ron muttered.

"And I hope she isn't wherever we get placed," Harriett added with a frown.

"She's not that bad," Naruto said, feeling mildly surprised by his friend's behavior. "She talks a lot, I guess, but she's nice."

"To you, maybe," Harriett grumbled.

Was she mad? Naruto wondered. He didn't know of anyone Harriett actively disliked, with the exception of the Dursleys.

"Anyway, before we were rudely interrupted," Ron huffed. "I was going to ask if either of you heard what happened at Gringotts?"

"No, what happened?" Harriett asked.

"It's been all over the _Daily Prophet._ Suppose you don't get that in the Muggle World. Someone's tried to rob a high security vault."

"So it is possible," Naruto said with a hand on his chin.

"Naruto!" Harriett said his name with warning.

"What?" He asked.

"So, what happened to them?" Harriett asked Ron, not answering Naruto's inquiry.

"Well, nothing. But that's why it's all so strange. No one tries to rob Gringotts an' gets away with it. My dad says it must've been the work of a powerful Dark Wizard. Everyone's riled up thinking that maybe You-Know-Who could be behind it." Ron said.

That gave Naruto something to consider.

Abruptly, the door slid open again, with a crash this time.

"Again?" Naruto sighed. He was beginning to grow tired by the constant interruptions. Though he didn't really mind Hermione's visit, he was certainly not happy with who was standing at the door.

It was Draco Malfoy, the insufferable kid from the robe shop. He was flanked by two miniature gorillas, his sole attention on Harriett.

"I've heard talk about the Harriett Potter being in this compartment. It must be you," Draco said.

"Yes," Harriett said with a frown.

"Hello again, Prissy," Naruto said with a grin and a wave.

Draco's face contorted into an angry scowl.

"You," he spat.

"Me," Naruto mocked.

"Allow me to introduce you to my friends," Draco said, retreating behind his gorilla guard. "Crabbe and Goyle."

"Which one's your boyfriend?" Naruto asked. "Or are they sharing you?"

All three boys flustered a deep red and Ron laughed.

"I'll tell you this, Potter," Draco spat. "I'd think carefully about who you associate yourself with. Last thing you need to be doing is hanging around with a low-class loser and a Mud-Blood!"

Ron seemed to take offense to that, Naruto as well. He wasn't sure what a Mud-Blood was but even he realized it was meant to be offensive. He also didn't like Draco already and to him, that was reason enough to teach him a lesson.

Both boys stood to their feet, with Harriett following close behind.

"And you'd do well to watch who you insult," Harriett warned.

"Is that supposed to scare me?" Draco mocked. "It's three against two and a girl, I quite favor our odds. Teach them a lesson, Goyle."

Naruto easily caught the larger boy's fist and immediately began to add pressure to it. With a pained cry, Goyle fell to a knee, trying desperately and failing to pull free of his grasp. Crabbe charged to help his friend but a quick strike to his round belly had him doubled over before he was lifted off the ground by his neck.

"Blimey!" Ron said in awe.

Naruto had Goyle immobilized in pain with one hand, while he held Crabbe by his neck with the other, holding him a foot off the ground, the boy was kicking and hitting his arm in an attempt to free himself. He stared directly at a mortified Draco, smirking dangerously.

"Let go!" Goyle cried thrice.

Crabbe couldn't even do that.

"Actually, it's Naruto against you three, I quite favor our odds," Harriett mocked with arms crossed and something of a smirk of her own.

"You were saying, Prissy?" Naruto said. Before Draco could answer, he threw Crabb at him, both boys crashing into the wall of the train. He proceeded to kick Goyle out, the boy landing atop the other two.

"This isn't over!" Draco cried, sounding like he really was as he and his goons rushed away.

"That was wicked!" Ron cheered. "You're right strong, aren't you?"

"Ah, well, you know..." Naruto trailed off.

"He is," Harriett said, looking at Naruto with a smile that hinted at a knowledge they alone shared.

"Though I'm kinda surprised you didn't try to stop me," Naruto admitted. Most of his displays of violence around Harriett had resulted negatively. She always seemed to try and dissuade him, but for some reason, she actually encouraged him that time.

"Yes, well, he insulted you," Harriett huffed. "I won't stand for that!"

"Thank you, Harriett," Naruto said, smiling at her care.

"It's nothing really," Harriett said, casting her eyes aside. "But I do wonder how they knew I was in here?"

"Er, it was probably that snobby girl from before who told them?" Ron said. His guilty expression and a red face gave him away immediately.

"It was you, wasn't it?" Naruto asked.

"'Course not!" Ron denied.

"Ron," Naruto said his name firmly.

"Okay, okay," Ron relented. "I might have told Fred and George, my bothers, that you were in my compartment. I'm sorry!"

"Everyone's bound to find out eventually," Harriett said, offering the flustered boy a flat smile. "It's fine."

If Harriett forgave him, than so would Naruto. Even though he wanted to tell Ron not to do it again, there would be no point now that everyone would know his friend was attending Hogwarts. He almost forgot that she was something of a celebrity in the Wizarding World, and that would no doubt be cause for a headache later down the line.

"Whatever," Naruto said, seating himself with a sigh. "I just hope we don't run into any more people like that prick."

"Can't believe you handled them so easily!" Ron said, once again pumped.

"What's a prick?" Harriett asked.

Naruto hadn't meant to say that aloud. His friend was too innocent to be corrupted by his murky mouth, but neither did he enjoy lying to her. Thankfully, he was saved by yet another intrusion, though a welcomed one.

Hermione rushed into their compartment.

"What was with all that commotion?" She asked regarding Naruto alone.

"Naruto here just had Malfoy and his friend's running, that's what!" Ron cheered, grinning widely. "Oh you should have seen him. Lifted that lug a foot of the ground an' tossed him like he was nothing! I'm pretty sure Malfoy ran away crying too!"

"What is he saying, Naruto? You haven't been fighting, have you?" Hermione asked with her arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for his response.

"They were insulting us and I made them leave, that's it. No fighting," Naruto said.

"Well, if that's it. I'd hate to see you get in trouble before we even get there," Hermione said. "And why haven't you gotten changed? I've just spoken with the conductor and he says we're almost there."

"Thanks?" Naruto said, feeling confused as to whether the girl was upset with him, or worried. Her words and tone conveyed both. "And we were about to get changed when that group of idiots came barging in."

"I see, if that's the case then I suppose it's okay," Hermione said.

"I don't think we need your permission, thank you," Harriett said.

Again, Naruto was taken aback by her sudden change in behavior.

"You should get out so we can actually get changed," Ron added rather forcefully.

Hermione's expression seemed to momentarily fall into something Naruto recognized all too well.

"Actually, we should both step out for a moment so Harriett can get changed," Naruto said, throwing a forceful hand over the boy's shoulder, pulling him out into the corridor where there were children playing and racing loudly up and down.

"That's why I came in, really," Hermione said, motioning to the commotion. "They're acting very childish, aren't they?"

"I don't see what's wrong with a little fun," Ron muttered.

"Well if you want, after we get changed, you could join us in our compartment," Naruto offered. He silenced Ron's protest by subtly tightening his continued hold on the boy's neck.

"Oh, well," Hermione suddenly seemed to find the floral carpeting of the train very interesting. "If you don't mind. I'd just have to get my things on the way out."

"We'll be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes. Please make sure to leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately." A voice sounded out throughout the train.

"I think that takes care of that," Naruto said, smiling at the girl.

"In that case, I suppose it wouldn't hurt being in the company of someone I know," Hermione said, obviously trying to play it off but the smile on her face was telling. Though her eyes widened seeing Ron's face. "He's turning purple!"

"Oh, sorry," Naruto said, letting go of the boy.

Ron gasped and began breathing heavily. And once he regained his breath, he looked at Naruto with eyes wide.

"Blimey mate, you've got quite the grip," he muttered rubbing his neck. "Remind me never to make you angry."

After they had all gotten dressed, all four sat in the compartment, nervously but eagerly awaiting their arrival at Hogwarts. In those short five minutes, Hermione had been talking nonstop, only pausing to renew her breath before continuing, much to the annoyance of Ron and even Harriett. Personally, Naruto didn't mind, though he could have done without her constant interruptions. She would ask him another question before he had the time to even answer the first, so he eventually relented and allowed her to talk away.

Once the train came to a complete stop, they filed out into the chill of the night.

"First years over 'ere!" A familiar voice boomed, even above the sound of idle chatter and the steam engine's hiss. "First years gather 'round over 'ere!"

Hagrid towered above all of the lost faces, smiling and waving in their direction with a lantern in one hand.

"Harriett, No-roo-toe, 'ope you two been well!" The giant man said.

"It really isn't that hard to say," Naruto groaned, hearing Ron chuckle and Harriett giggle.

"Do you know that man?" Hermione asked.

"His name's Hagrid, he's the games keeper here," Naruto said before sighing. "And he's apparently the only person who doesn't know how to say my name."

"C'mon then, first years follow me!" Hagrid motioned them with a large hand.

Naruto felt Harriett push to his free side, grabbing onto his hand as they began following Hagrid down a steep and narrow path. She almost slipped once but he caught her. The boy from before, Neville, on the other hand, was not so lucky as he tripped and tumbled a ways before a tree caught him.

"You'll be getting yer first sight o' Hogwarts in a moment!" Hagrid called out from the front of the pack of stumbling children. "Just 'round this here bend."

They broke through the thick forestry, leading to a large lake glimmering in the light of the moon. Gentle ripples reflected the light coming from the windows of the massive castle perched atop a high mountain.

All was silent as all of the first years took in the sight of Hogwarts for the first time in their lives.

"Alright then, onto the boats!" Hagrid announced. "No more than four, less yer want to swim!"

Harriett, Ron, Hermione, and Naruto all piled onto a single boat.

Hermione managed to snag the seat next to Naruto, further annoying Harriett.

"Everyone in?" Hagrid called from a boat all to himself. "Forward!"

The boats moved on their own, moving in sync with one another, slowly but surely approaching Hogwarts. The great castle seemed to grow larger as they neared, and even more beautiful yet.

The boats led them through a dark tunnel under the castle, illuminated faintly by Hagrid's lamp at the lead. The tunnel was long, seemingly never ending until it finally did, leading to a small beach comprised of tiny pebbles and stones.

"Mind yer step!" Hagrid warned as they ascended up the stone steps, leading up and to large, duel oak doors. His large fist rapped against the door three times, the sound reverberating loudly in the night. A few moments passed before the doors swung open.

A tall woman stood in the open hallway, staring down at them with a stern expression, as though they had already done something wrong. Her flowing green robes concealed her hands, the moon glinting off of her glasses.

"This 'ere's Professor McGonagall," Hagrid announced.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here," Professor McGonagall said, beginning to walk without saying anything further.

Naruto ushered Harriett along, prompting the others to follow. He was in awe at just how large the inside of the castle was, seemingly reaching the skies themselves. The walls were made of stone, tinted orange by the torches lighting them.

Naruto couldn't quite place it, but there was something distinctively magical about it all. The feeling of entering the unknown, experiencing such wonderous sights for the first time, it left him feeling entranced and eager for his coming adventure.

They continued following the tall woman further into the castle. She led them into a very small chamber, so small they were crowded within inches of one another.

Naruto's arms were pressed to his side, with Ron on one side and Harriett on the other, the lower half of his face hidden in Hermione's bushy hair. He wondered for a moment why they thought it was a good idea to pile them into such a small room.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall announced, outstretching her arms as if presenting something that they could not see. "The start of the term banquet will begin shortly, but before you have your fill, you will be sorted into your respective Houses. I ask you keep in mind that The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be something of a family to you. Through the course of this year you will share classes, sleep in your House dormitories, and spend your free time in your House Common room."

"I hope we're in the same House," Harriett whispered beside him.

"I'm sure we will be," Naruto said, smiling down at his friend.

"Anything but Slytherin," Ron muttered to himself in a mantra.

"The four Houses of Hogwarts are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin," Professor McGonagall continued. "Each house has its own extensive history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points. Likewise, any rule-breaking or mischief will lose House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points are awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I do hope each one of you will be an asset to whichever House becomes yours."

"I'm still gonna prank people," Naruto muttered under his breath.

"Please don't," Harriett whispered to him.

"The Sorting Ceremony will commence in a few minutes and it will take place in front of Hogwarts' populace. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting," Professor McGonagall finished, her sharp eyes roaming the crowd. "I will return for you when we are ready. Until then, please keep to yourselves."

"Does anyone know how we'll be sorted?" Naruto asked aloud.

"My brother said it's some sort of test," Ron said, grimacing as he did so. "Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

"Test? But I don't know any magic," Harriett said, sounding very nervous. She glanced up at him, her large eyes pleading. "Do you think you could teach me something quickly?"

"I don't know any magic," Naruto reminded her with force he didn't enjoy using on his friend. "Remember?"

"O-Oh, you're right," Harriett quickly apologized, looking down. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I'm sure we'll be fine," Naruto said, palming her head. "We're not supposed to use magic outside of Hogwarts, so there's no way they'd be expecting us to know any."

At least he hoped not.

"There was no such mention about a test in _Hogwarts: A History_ ," Hermione said, turning to look at him. "Or did I miss something?"

"No, you're right about there being nothing about a test," Naruto said. He would know if there were. Jiraiya had him study the book religiously in the month leading up to his departure. The book spoke of the basic history of magic, leading up to the founding of Hogwarts. Aside from some important figures in the magic world, with Dumbledore being one of the most prominent, there was little mention of the actual happenings within the school for witches and wizards.

Naruto's thoughts were interrupted by his every sense ignited, warning him of a potential danger. The room dropped a couple of degrees in temperature, his vision sharpened as he heard someone scream. Other's followed close after and soon, he realized why he was suddenly on edge.

"Ghosts!" Someone shouted.

Naruto became rigid but he managed to outstretch his arm, his fingers locked in the position required to form a Rasengan, but he stopped himself short of realizing it. Harriett, Hermione, and Ron, among the others, were too close to him. He didn't trust himself not to hurt them knowing he was on the edge of panic.

He watched with eyes wide as the specters flew about the room and well above their heads, talking amongst themselves. They seemed to pay them little mind but that did nothing to quell Naruto's dread at an enemy he could not personally fight.

"N-Naruto," Harriett grasped at his outstretched hand and held on to him tight.

Hermione had turned and was also holding onto him, hugging his midsection but Naruto's focus remained on the apparitions. His mind running over possible techniques he could utilize should they try to attack, his repertoire coming up disappointingly short of resulting to the Flying Thunder God.

He'd heard frightening tales of Shinobi's encounter with restless and most times, hostile spirits. A force of nature no man could contest, as they were said to be on separate planes. To see them personally left Naruto feeling defenseless and admittedly, terrified.

"Forgive and forget, I say. We ought to give him a second chance," one of the ghosts said, his voice seemingly carrying an echo beyond the natural acoustics of the room. He was the remnants of a short, fat, and bald man.

"My dear Frair, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost," the other spirit said. He was taller, thinner and wore tights.

Naruto's internal panic doubled as the ghost that had spoken last paused to look down on them.

"New students!" The fat ghost cheered. His smile did nothing to set Naruto at ease.

"About to be sorted, I suppose?" Another ghost asked.

In his peripherals, he could see some of the others nod.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" The fat ghost said. "It was my old house!"

"The Sorting Ceremony's about to begin," Professor McGonagall announced as she entered the room.

Naruto didn't blink as he watched the ghosts disperse, phasing through the walls until they were all gone.

"Form a line now and follow me," Professor McGonagall instructed.

Naruto felt Harriett pull at his hand.

"Naruto, are you okay?" She asked worriedly.

"Yeah," he said breathlessly, "just hate ghosts."

"Didn't think they were real," Hermione muttered, releasing her hold on him with a feint red to her cheeks.

They formed a line, Naruto led it with Harriett behind him, Hermione behind her, and Ron trailing at the back.

His horrifying encounter with ghosts was almost forgotten as they entered the Great Hall. It was massive room, illuminated by what had to be thousands of candles which floated high above. There were four large and long tables, where there were other students already seated.

Each table was full of golden plates and goblets, each plate full with food of many varieties, the scent enticing. Naruto could see Ron lick his lips at the sight of a nearby turkey. Personally, he was hoping to find ramen.

At the head of the room was another long table set horizontally where the professors were sitting. Each appearing eccentric in their own way. Hagrid had his own place at the table, his hand occupied by a large mug of something he was enjoying.

Professor McGonagall led them down the center of the room, between the inquisitive faces of the other students.

"Look, I can see the stars!" Harriett said, pointing upward.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside," Hermione explained.

Naruto wondered if the magic used to cast the illusion was anything like a Genjutsu. A practice he had next to no experience in other than dispelling them, as it required precision chakra control. Something he had only recently been working towards in his time with Jiraiya.

Professor McGonagall retrieved a stool and a battered old witch's hat from behind the teachers table. She set the hat atop the stool and stepped aside.

There were a few hushed gasps from the new students as the hat abruptly came to life, a tear near the brim opening into a mouth. It began to sing.

" _Oh you may not think I'm pretty,_  
 _But don't judge on what you see,_  
 _I'll eat myself if you can find_  
 _A smarter hat than me._  
 _You can keep your bowlers black,_  
 _Your top hats sleek and tall,_  
 _For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_  
 _And I can cap them all._  
 _There's nothing hidden in your head_  
 _The Sorting Hat can't see,_  
 _So try me on and I will tell you_  
 _Where you ought to be._  
 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_  
 _Where dwell the brave at heart,_  
 _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_  
 _Set Gryffindors apart;_  
 _You might belong in Hufflepuff,_  
 _Where they are just and loyal,_  
 _Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_  
 _And unafraid of toil;_  
 _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_  
 _If you've a ready mind,_  
 _Where those of wit and learning,_  
 _Will always find their kind;_  
 _Or perhaps in Slytherin_  
 _You'll make your real friends,_  
 _Those cunning folk use any means_  
 _To achieve their ends_  
 _So put me on!_  
 _Don't be afraid!_  
 _And don't get in a flap!_  
 _You're in safe hands, though I have none._  
 _For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

As the room erupted in cheers, Naruto stared at the hat, suddenly feeling very nervous. Much more so than his previous encounter with the ghosts. There were a few concerning lyrics in the Hat's song, and that was the insinuation that the sentient piece of headwear would be reading his thoughts.

"I'll kill Fred," Ron muttered. "He said we might have to fight a troll!"

"At least we don't have to know any spells," Harriett muttered.

He would just have close his mind and keep his defenses in place. Doing so would not be easy without knowing the Hat's method of raking his mind.

"When I call your name you will come up here and place the hat upon your head and sit on the stool to be sorted," Professor McGonagall said, unfurling a large scroll. "Abbott, Hannah!"

One by one, the students were called in alphabetical order.

"Granger, Hermione!"

"Good luck," Naruto said.

"Thank you," Hermione said, smiling nervously at him. "I do hope we'll be in the same House."

Despite her demeanor, she rushed to the stool and placed the hat on her head.

"Gryffindor!" The Hat announced.

"Not Gryffindor," Ron groaned.

Naruto rolled his eyes at the boy's behavior.

As the Hat continued to call names, Naruto went over the English alphabet to try and gauge who was next. That would be Harriett, followed by himself sometime later, and then Ron. Amongst those who they knew, at any rate.

Sometime after Malfoy was sorted into Slytherin, the moment he was nervously anticipating arrived.

"Potter, Harriett!" The Hat called and a wave of hushed chatter followed.

All around the people talked amongst themselves, some wished she would be in their House, while others questioned of Harriett really was The Girl Who Lived.

"It'll be okay, I'm right here," Naruto reassured her friend, who was clearly nervous at both the Sorting, and from all of the unwanted attention.

"But what if we're not in the same House?" Harriett asked.

"I'm sure we will be," Naruto said before ushering her along. "Now go on, I shouldn't be far behind."

Naruto watched as his friend made her way up to the stool before seating herself on it. Casting him one final and nervous look, Harriett's face disappeared beneath the hat.

He watched feeling unsure why the Hat was taking so long to decide with his friend. He could tell by her body language that Harriett was nervous and seemed to plead with the Hat.

"Gryffindor!" The Hat shouted.

The room erupted in cheers, louder than any instance before and it was mostly coming from the Gryffindor table alone. Again, Naruto was feeling slightly annoyed at their celebration. It was almost as if they viewed his friend as some sort of prize.

Naruto smiled at his friend as she walked by and watched as she was greeted enthusiastically by the table. Harriett seemed flustered by all the attention but thankfully, she was seemed happy and almost relieved.

After a few more students, it was finally his turn.

"Uzumaki, Naruto!" Professor McGonagall called.

Naruto tried to steady his nerves but he couldn't shake the nervous feeling weighing down his belly as he approached the stool. He picked up the Hat and sat down, hovering the sentient piece of headwear just above his head.

"Is there any way you could put me in Gryffindor?" Naruto asked the Hat.

"If that's where I feel you belong," the Hat said. "But to know for certain, I must be placed on your head."

"Yeah, see that's the thing. I don't want you going through my mind," Naruto admitted.

"Interesting," the Hat hummed. "Have you something to hide, boy?"

"I just like my privacy," Naruto said. "We've all got our secrets we'd like to keep."

"Fair point you've got there, lad," the Hat relented. "However, if you wish to be sorted, then I must be placed on your head. Know, however, that my brim is sealed, not a word of what goes on in your mind is ever extracted from I. Also, I cannot view your deepest memories less you review them whist I'm on your head. Just your base emotions, which allows me to judge your character, and I can only hear your inner voice as you use it."

"Fine," Naruto dropped the hat over his head.

"Oh my," the Hat stiffened on his head immediately. "I sense a great and ancient power residing within you, guarding your thoughts. Very interesting. It is not allowing me to do what I need, but I believe I've enough information to properly sort you."

"So, Gryffindor?" Naruto asked, trying not to focus on what the Hat said.

"You're cunning and ambitious, yet fiercely loyal. No doubt you'd do well in Gryffindor, but you also seek knowledge and power, both with equal fever. I can sense a great drive and power within you; one that will lead you to greatness, should you choose to follow it. Or infamy, should you choose to embrace it. I know just the house that will help you accomplish your goals," the Hat said.

"That'd be Gryffindor, right?" Naruto tried again, feeling dread knot his belly. The Hat's words indicated otherwise.

"Slytherin!" The Sorting Hat proclaimed loudly.

Very few people clapped for him and among them, not a single one belonged to Slytherin.

"Well shit."

* * *

 **Oh boy, didn't mean to start a gun debate last chapter.**

 **The power levels of the Naruto-Anime – never read the manga - I feel are kind of like Dragon Ball's in that they're all over the place. That's what happens when you make your antagonist world ending, only to introduce a new, somehow stronger threat in the next arc.**

 **What may not hurt a person one episode, would the next, and vice versa. The anime went from powerful but somewhat grounded Shinobi, to handing out god-mode like Oprah. This makes it hard to gauge how strong Shinobi as a whole are. Not to rant here but how the hell is anyone a challenge to Naruto and Sasuke after the war? It's one of the many reasons I didn't care to watch Boruto.**

 **My point being that yes, Jiraiya may be able to avoid and protect against gunfire, but at the moment, Naruto can't. In their base forms using no chakra, both are essentially human, just much stronger and more resilient, but not invincible. If caught unaware, both can be hurt by something like a curse or a bullet.**

 **I hope that somewhat explains my reasoning as to why something like a world government would be a threat to the two. Having characters that are too OP and never lose may be fun for a short time, but it can get terribly boring.**

 **With that out of the way, I want to once again thank all those who have followed, favorited, and reviewed. I never thought I'd have a story get as much attention as this one has, so thanks again for your support.**

 **Until next time.**


	7. Chapter 7

"Well shit," Naruto said, much louder than he should have.

"Mr. Uzumaki!" Professor McGonagall clamored indignantly as she pulled the hat from his head. "Why, I should deduct points from Slytherin for your use of such language!"

"Ah," Naruto elongated the single word sheepishly, almost tangibly feeling the weight of the glares from the Slytherin table. Meanwhile, there were a few hushed chuckles from the other Houses.

"Now, now, Professor McGonagall," the elder man at the head of the table began, smiling warmly. "It is apparent that Mr. Uzumaki is simply excited to join his new House. Though I am opposed to his choice of language, I do believe we can allow it to slide this time, so long as he refrains from using such words going forward."

"Yeah, what the old man said," Naruto agreed.

Another round of gasps mixed with laughter informed him of yet another mistake.

"Mr. Uzumaki!" Professor McGonagall continued, appalled. "You will refer to Headmaster Dumbledore with nothing but respect! Ten points from – " Her speech was interrupted by Dumbledore, who simply raised his hand with a continued smile.

"How about we put this past us for now. There is no reason to begin the term off with such a misunderstanding. Though I don't mind the name, as a young man I am no longer, I implore you refer to me as Headmaster Dumbledore going forward, or simply Dumbledore, if that is what you wish," he said.

"Uh, yeah! I mean, of course, Headmaster Dumbledore," Naruto agreed with as much respect as he could muster. The last thing he wanted was to start the year off by garnering the attention of the Headmaster himself.

"Very well," Professor McGonagall said expeditiously, her face clearly showing her displeasure. "Now, go take a seat at your House table so we may continue the Sorting."

Without another word, Naruto rushed to his House table, disheartened that he would not be in the same House as his friend. On his way, he caught sight of Harriett; she was staring at him with an expression clearly conveying her own displeasure at the situation. He smiled at her, trying his best to wordlessly reassure her before he finally reached his table, his face falling to a placid one.

Most of the Slytherin appeared careless of his presence, whilst the younger populace openly glared at him. Naruto was resolute in not giving them the gratification of acknowledging their displeasure. Also, Jiraiya had specifically instructed he not make waves. He'd already done so without meaning to, so he decided he would be careful going forward.

There were only a few vacant seats remaining at the Slytherin table, long as it was. There were a couple near the head of the table, where the older students were situated. Now that he was closer, he realized they were no more welcoming than those younger and some were actively glowering at him. They only disguised their distaste better, but there was an unmistakable disregard for him as a person.

The next couple of open seats were directly in front of Draco Malfoy and his two friends. Draco himself appeared to be more confident in his numbers and amongst his fellow Slytherin as he was now openly sneering at him. As much as Naruto wanted to tear away that false sense of security, he knew he could not. He needed to keep his head down and stay out of trouble for the time being. At the very least until he could familiarize himself with the inner machinations of the Wizarding World and Hogwarts.

Finally, there was a single open seat at the far end of the table, directly next to a girl with pale skin and hair a lighter shade of blond than his own. A trait Naruto was beginning to realize a fair share of the Slytherin shared. They weren't all blond or a varying shade, but most were certainly pale, with aristocratic facial features and an air of seeming arrogance about them that reminded him much of the Hyuuga.

Naruto quickly weighed out his options before deciding he'd take his chances next to the girl as the Sorting continued.

"I ask you sit elsewhere," were the first words to come from her mouth as he sat himself beside her. Despite speaking to him, she never once turned to actually acknowledge him.

"No," Naruto said without missing a beat. He chose to ignore the collective glares from the other girls in the immediate area. It was only then that he realized he was surrounded by girls for at least another three to four seats on either side of the table.

"The nerve!" She snapped, finally revealing to him a pair of frosty blues. "You should know your place, you filthy Mud-blood!"

Naruto rolled his eyes at her. The name initially offended him despite not knowing what it meant. Now, he was only annoyed at his lack of understanding.

"Ya'know, I've been hearing that word a lot lately," he said, resting his cheek in the palm of his hand, staring at her with a brow pitched. "Mind telling me what it means?"

"And why should I tell you anything?" The girl questioned, crossing her arms.

"Well, your insult doesn't hurt me because I don't know what it means," Naruto said with a smirk.

"Your ignorance is not my concern, but, if you must know, it's what we call those whose blood is muddied and impure," she finished with a haughty scoff.

"Which means?" Naruto pressed.

The girl's pale cheeks were beginning to color in seeming frustration. Naruto thought she was certainly cute, but so far, her personality was very ugly.

"It means you're not of pure blood, like me," the girl explained angrily. "I'll bet you were born to rotten Muggles!"

"Is that it?" Naruto chortled. "And here I thought it was something actually offensive."

"Y-You don't find that offensive?" The girl asked, clearly surprised. "A Muggle-born or even a Half-blood can never be as good as us Pure-bloods!"

"I'm pretty sure that's just a matter of opinion. And why should I be offended? All you're doing is pointing out the obvious. I don't really know what I fall under because my parents are dead, but at least I know they weren't related, so I'm fine with not being a Pure-blood," Naruto said before returning his attention back to the Sorting.

There were only two people that needed to be sorted. At some point, Ron had been placed into Gryffindor and was seated next to Harriett, who still appeared saddened despite all the attention she continued to receive.

"Why you…you...ugh!"

Naruto ignored the girl as he watched Dumbledore rise to his feet after the final two students had been sorted.

"Welcome!" He announced, his voice projecting clearly throughout the room. "Welcome all to a new year at Hogwarts! Now, before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And they are; Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! That is all, thank you!"

Naruto blinked and looked about the room as everyone clapped loudly and cheered for what, to him, amounted to nothing more than incoherencies. The exception being the Slytherin table, many of which were clapping, but much more reserved in their reaction and out of seeming obligation alone as he saw more than a few roll their eyes.

Soon after the loud cheers died down, the sound was replaced with the clatter of silverware on plates, along with the coalescence of distant chatter. There was the occasional loud and boisterous laughter breaking through, announcing the fun being had elsewhere.

Not at the Slytherin table. Hardly anyone spoke and those that did, did so reserved, talking in low mutters and among small groups. A few would occasionally pause their conversation to glower in his direction, somehow seeming disgusted and angry all in once, before continuing on.

Naruto couldn't help but wonder what he had done to deserve being sorted into such a unwelcoming House.

He released a sigh as he pulled forward a steak dish with mashed potatoes and broccoli. He wasn't necessarily hungry, but it had been more than a couple of hours since last he ate. Also, as a result of his grueling exercises in the month leading up to their departure, he found himself eating much more, more often to maintain his energy.

Something he felt he would need in the coming days.

"Have you no manners, Mud-blood?" The girl from before muttered from his side.

But Naruto was in no mood to deal with her prejudice. It wasn't as if her words had any actual effect on him, considering he'd heard and experienced worse before. He decided to simply ignore her in favor of enjoying his delicious steak, cooked in a way he didn't know he favored until that moment.

"That's not how you're supposed to hold your knife and fork!" The girl continued nagging in his ear. "But of course, it is to be expected of a Mud-blood."

"Naruto," he said, casting a lazy glance in her direction.

The girl seemed momentarily confused.

"What?"

"That's my name, use it, if you're gonna bitch at me," Naruto said before resuming his feast.

"B-Bitch? Who are you...who do you think..." Again, her words trailed off into frustrated mutters. "Do you know who you are speaking to?" She asked, finally deciding on what she wanted to say.

"I wasn't paying attention when you were sorted, so I don't even know your name. Also, Mud-blood, remember?" Naruto said, shrugging his shoulders. "If you're from some important family, I don't know or really care."

"Daphne Greengrass! My family is amongst the most important in the Wizarding World!" She finished, crossing her arms once more with her nose to the starry ceiling above.

Naruto stared at her for a moment before silently returning to his meal, serving himself a plate of lamb chops, green beans, and something that almost resembled mashed potatoes, only orange in color. It was sweet, but he enjoyed it just the same.

"Are you listening to me?" Daphne demanded.

"No, not really," Naruto said with a mouthful.

From his peripherals, he could see her button nose scrunch up in disgust.

"You really are an animal, aren't you, you filthy – "

"Mud-blood," Naruto finished, acknowledging her with frustration beginning to simmer within. "Yeah, I get it. You don't like me, but what do you want me to do? I didn't choose to be in this shitty House, with all of you racist pricks. So tell me, Princess Greengrass, what do you want from me?"

Naruto could see her face darkening the longer it took her to respond. He idly realized others in the immediate area were watching them closely, but he didn't really care.

"You should do us all a favor and die!" Daphne spat finally, drawing a few gasps from the surrounding girls and a pitched brow from himself. That, apparently, had been a step too far even for them.

"Sorry, Princess, but I can't do that yet. I've got a promise I need to keep," Naruto said, careless of her insult. Again, it wasn't anything he hadn't heard before and it meant nothing to him coming from a stranger.

He decided to simply ignore the girl in favor of enjoying his food. Naruto was almost done with his meal when he decided to look up to the Gryffindor table again, his eyes immediately finding Harriet's. He was concerned to see her holding her head, one eye scrunched up in seeming pain, ignoring those around who called to her.

He dropped his silverware with a clatter as he rushed over to her table.

"Harriett, are you okay?" He asked as he crouched at her side.

"Yes, I just, my head hurt suddenly," Harriett said, blinking a few times before offering him a small smile. "I'm fine now, thank you Naruto."

Naruto hugged his friend in her seat.

"Did you get plenty of sleep last night?" He asked, worried. "I used to get headaches too when I stayed up too late. The old man said it's usually due to a lack of sleep."

"Not as much as I should have," Harriett admitted sheepishly. "I was a bit excited."

"Well, as long as you're okay," Naruto said, staring into her vibrant verdant eyes.

"Excuse me, _Slytherin_ ," a taller boy with red-hair beneath a black wizard's hat all but sneered. "But I ask you return to your table at once."

Naruto wanted to suggest where he could shove his hat, but Harriett's presence kept him from doing so. Also, he was well aware of the many eyes on him, given how close he was behaving with the Girl Who Lived.

"It's okay, Percy! This is Naruto, the friend I was telling you about," Harriett quickly interjected.

"Be that as it may," Percy continued, his expression no more lax. "You must return to your table."

"Oi, ease off him, mate," Ron added. "Naruto's a friend."

"Yes, please don't make him leave," Hermione pleaded.

Percy looked between the three faces before sighing.

"Look, Naruto, perhaps I came of coarser than I rightly should have," he admitted, though his expression hardly changed. "However, it is the rules. For this banquet, you must sit with your House. After tonight, there is no real assigned seating. So, in the future, should you wish to dine with Gryffindor, you are free to do so at the risk of upsetting your House mates."

He'd already done so simply by having been sorted into Slytherin but Naruto was accustomed to inadvertently earning the ire of those around. The prospect of angering his House mates was one he was none too concerned with. However, he wouldn't voice as much in order to spare Harriett the worry.

"Fine," Naruto said, turning back to his friend. "I know I said we'd be in the same House and I'm really sorry we're not, but this isn't going to change anything, okay? We'll still spend as much time as we can together," he tried to reassure.

Harriett smiled softly at him before resting her head on his shoulder for a short moment.

"Okay," she whispered.

"Good. I've got to go back for now but I promise, I'll find you the first chance I get," Naruto said, smiling at her before standing to his feet. He palmed her head once more, ruffling her messy hair. He offered his fist to Ron, who accepted it with a grin. "No hard feelings for this Slytherin?"

"Sorry 'bout that, mate," Ron muttered. "Terrible luck but if ever there was a good one, I suppose it'd be you."

"You suppose?" Naruto asked with a smirk.

"You know what I meant!" Ron said, flustered.

Naruto chuckled and turned to the talkative girl.

"Thanks for sticking up for me, Hermione. We'll talk later," he said, also giving her hair a good rumple.

"I look forward to it," Hermione said with a smile and slightly rosy cheeks.

With that, Naruto reluctantly returned to his table.

"You know Potter?" Daphne asked, clearly intrigued.

"Still got mud in my blood, Princess," Naruto said, taking a drink of whatever was in his goblet. It was good and tasted faintly of pumpkin.

He heard Daphne harrumph at his side but thankfully, she said nothing else.

After a round of delicious deserts, the feast began to wind down and the bountiful plates of food began disappearing until the final student was full and content.

Dumbledore stood slowly, immediately drawing the attention of all.

"Now that we're all full and our thirst quenched, I have a few start-of-term notices to announce," Dumbledore said as the hall fell silent. "First years should note that the forest on the grounds is strictly forbidden to all students. A few of our returning students would do well to remember that."

Naruto followed his pointed gaze to the Weasley twins, whom were both all smiles.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes, least of all in the corridors. Also, Quidditch trials will be held on the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their House team should contact Madam Hooch."

He paused to allow a prompt wave of cheers and woops from most of the Houses.

"Finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side of the castle is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death," Dumbledore said, his expression turning serious for a moment. His warning produced hushed and fearful chatter.

Naruto wasn't sure how to take that. He was out of his element, and that in itself was dangerous, but he never suspected there would be any actual mortal danger for the students at Hogwarts. After all, back in the Muggle-world, the only threat school presented was that of overwhelming boredom. Even the Academy back in the Elemental Nations could not be considered dangerous for anyone who wasn't the Jinchuuriki of the Nine Tails; though there were those who were inevitably hurt during spars.

Naruto decided it was yet another reason he should proceed with caution in the coming term.

"With that out of the way, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore declared, his previous jolly expression back in place.

Naruto heard many a sigh coming from the older students, many appearing outright annoyed by the prospect.

Meanwhile, Dumbledore produced his wand from within his flowing purple robes and flicked it lightly. From the end spewed a long golden ribbon, flowing high into the air, taking the shape of words.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune," Dumbledore said, "and off we go!"

Naruto thought he finally found some common ground with the others at the Slytherin; that being a cringe as everyone began singing. The collective tune coming out warbled and divergent.

* * *

" _Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_  
 _Teach us something please,_  
 _Whether we be old and bald_  
 _Or young with scabby knees,_  
 _Our heads could do with filling"_  
 _With some interesting stuff,_  
 _For now they're bare and full of air,_  
 _Dead flies and bits of fluff,_  
 _So teach us things worth knowing,_  
 _Bring back what we forgot,_  
 _Just do your best,_  
 _and we'll do the rest,_  
 _And learn until our brains rot_."

* * *

When the song finally ended the ribbon dissipated and Dumbledore was clapping loudly, tears shining clearly in his eyes.

"Ah, music! A magic beyond all we do here! And now, it's bedtime!" He said.

"I'm Gemma Farley, Slytherin Prefect," a tall, gaunt girl with dark hair and eyes announced as she stood. "I'll lead you to the dungeons, where our common room and dormitories are located."

"Wait, did you say dungeon?" Naruto asked the Prefect.

"Yes," Gemma answered promptly and with stoicism. She began walking without saying anything further, prompting all the first years to rush to keep up with her.

Naruto followed the Prefect from behind a few students, through a long and dimly illuminated hallway, down a set of spiraling stairs, and into another long and somehow darker hallway. Throughout the trek he did his best to commit the route to memory, counting the number of left and right turns taken and keeping an eye out for any distinguishing identifiers such as paintings or hallway decorations. Finally, after passing through large and dark double doors, he found himself in a narrow corridor comprised entirely of soggy grey stone from floor to wall, to ceiling.

Lining the stone hallway were many lamps that shone a steady, sickly green light, leading to what appeared to be a solid wall of even more stone. For a brief moment, Naruto wondered if the Prefect had somehow gotten lost. He could already see himself getting turned around if not attentive.

"The password is Pure-blood, and it changes every fortnight. I expect none of you shan't forget it," Gemma said the moment they reached the seeming dead end. She was looking at him when she spoke the password. "Otherwise you'll be standing here until someone comes in or goes out. I'll say this once; you'll do well not to dwell or dally in these halls, especially not at night and least of all alone."

Naruto didn't rise to her non-too subtle jab or threat. He was too drained to care. The day had been long and disappointing in many ways. All he wanted to do was go to bed and look for his friend first thing the next day.

Gemma turned to face the wall and uttered the uninspired password. Beginning slowly, and one by one, the wet stones of the walls were absorbed into one another, giving way to reveal a single glossy black door with the Slytherin coat of arms.

The common room was dim, dark in color, and was as frigid as the stone that comprised the walls. It was large with wall high windows that gave way to no light despite it being a full moon. There were many tables and chairs placed in groupings along the room, along with other leisurely furnishings, all black in color. There were a few leather sofas and recliner surrounding the fire place, which of course, was occupied by a green flame. Above the mantel was a large portrait of an evil looking bald man with a white mustache and a beard, along with menacing green eyes which seemed to pierce into him despite being inanimate.

"The boy's dorms are to the left and the girls to the right. Each will lead to a hallway with six corridors. First years will always be the last, down at the end of the hallway. From there, you will find at least ten different chambers. You will be sorted by the first letter of your surname, four to a room, so be sure to check the placard at each door. Also, there will be absolutely no venturing into the rooms of the opposite sex, less a nasty surprise await you," Gemma warned. "That will be all."

Naruto paid no mind to anyone else as he made his way to the dorms, following the girl's instruction. He found the door with the letters S through W and entered. The room was squared with a stone floor covered by a large area rug with the Slytherin crest. Identical crests lined every wall with a low hanging chandelier at the center.

There was a total of five, four-poster beds in the room, two on one wall, two more directly across, and finally one opposite the door. The beds were rather large with green silk hangings, eiderdowns a darker shade of green, with a nightstand next to it. Atop the nightstand was a small lamp and a book with no visible title. At the bottom of each bed was a large oak trunk, with a single scarf rolled neatly above it, primarily green in color with dual white stripes every so often, and of course, a Slytherin crest.

"Oh, would ya look at that, more green shit," Naruto muttered to himself, making his way to the bed closest to the door, which had his slumbering kitten resting peacefully atop it. He took that as an indication that it belonged to him.

He de-robed until he was in his boxers alone before crawling into bed, mindful of his pet, and drew the curtains around him until darkness encompassed him. Despite the frigid air of the dungeon room, the heavy sheets warmed him instantly, lulling him to sleep soon after.

* * *

When Harriett awoke, she found she was momentarily confused as to where she was, and almost panicked when she didn't recognize the red, cloth roof above her. It didn't take her long to remember that she was no longer staying with the Dursley's, or even at Janice's home on a quaint little farm.

She was at Hogwarts!

But Naruto was in Slytherin, Harriett recalled morosely. She seated herself, staring down at her lap in thought. She considered, for a moment, trying to see if there was a way for her to switch Houses. She could tolerate Malfoy and all of the other mean looking Slytherin if it meant being with Naruto.

Harriett paused, feeling an odd sense of déjà vu overcome her. It was as though she had already mulled over the idea of joining Slytherin, even though she was certain she had not. She didn't know if it was even allowed and the thought had not crossed her mind until that moment, of that she was sure. She had been too occupied moping to even consider transferring an option.

Or, diversely, perhaps Naruto could somehow transfer to Gryffindor? Harriett decided she liked that idea much more. She would have to discuss it with her friend when next she saw him. She was hoping that would be soon.

"Harriett, are you up?"

Harriett sighed quietly, subtly remembering she had been placed in, at random, a dorm with Hermione Granger, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, and another girl whose name she had not gotten.

"Harriett?"

It was Hermione who was calling to her. Harriett wasn't quite sure what to make of the talkative girl, other than just that. She talked a lot, none of it interesting, was prone to being somewhat bossy, and for whatever reason, seemed to ask about Naruto often.

Well, as often as she could in the time between the Great Hall and the Gryffindor House dorms.

"Harriett, if you don't get up soon, you'll miss breakfast," Hermione stated imperiously.

Despite having eaten far more than she rightly should have the night before, Harriett was feeling the beginnings of hunger churn in her belly. Though she was in no mood to deal with Hermione's attitude.

"Maybe Naruto will be there," Hermione muttered, almost to herself. "I don't think she's awake, do any of you wish to go with me?"

The three other girls denied one after the other, some nicer than others in how they did so.

"Oh, okay then," Hermione's words sounded much less enthusiastic, saddened, almost.

Harriett sighed again, wondering what Naruto would do if he was in the same situation, but she already knew the answer to that. Her friend wasn't the nicest person to anyone who wasn't themselves nice, and Hermione, as long-winded as she may be, seemed nice enough.

"I'm up!" Harriett called out, poking her head out from behind the bed's curtains. Hermione was the only one dressed in her robes and ready to go. The other three girls were still in their pajamas, and in bed. "I'll go with you, just let me get dressed, first."

Hermione seemed to brighten at that.

"Of course, I'll be waiting in the common room," she said before scurrying off.

"She's so annoying," Lavender muttered, falling back into bed, placing a pillow on her face.

After getting dressed, Harriett found Hermione talking to Neville in the near empty common room.

"Good morning," Harriett greeted the two.

"M-Morning," Neville murmured nervously.

"Do you mind if Neville joins us?" Hermione asked.

"No, of course not," Harriett said preceding a yawn.

"I understand," Neville said with a sniffle.

Harriett blinked, looking at the boy in confusion.

"She said you can come along, Neville," Hermione said, exasperated.

"O-Oh!" Neville elongated the word in realization.

Harriett was glad she decided to tag along with Hermione, because she found herself directionless the moment they left the common room. Hermione on the other hand, traversed the hallways with purpose and as though it wasn't her second day at Hogwarts.

They found themselves in the Great Hall again and it was much less populated than the day before. One thing that had not changed was the House seating, though she did see some older Hufflepuffs chatting with a few Ravenclaw, at the latter's table.

Harriett scanned the Slytherin table in search of her friend but sadly, he was not among the crowd.

"I don't see him anywhere," Hermione said.

"No, I don't see him either," Harriett added.

"Excuse me, but who are we looking for?" Neville asked.

"Naruto," both Harriett and Hermione said at the same time.

Harriett stared at the slightly shorter girl, who in turn, stared back at her. For a moment, neither said anything.

"Na-ru-to?" Neville sounded out well enough. "That the boy from yesterday? The Slytherin who came to our table?"

"Yes, he's my friend back from the Muggle-world," Harriett said. "We were hoping to be sorted together but that didn't happen."

"A shame, really," Hermione added. "I was hoping we could study together."

Harriett didn't know what to make of the uneasy feeling in her belly at Hermione's words. She wanted to believe she didn't mind that Naruto was making more friends, but she knew the truth to be otherwise.

Naruto was her best friend and she didn't need Hermione butting into what would be their already limited time together.

"Well, I suppose we might as well have something to eat before classes begin. Don't' have much time, really. First classes begin at eight," Hermione said, ushering Neville along.

Harriett stared at the ancient clock on the wall displaying the time. It wasn't even seven yet but she was hungry. She followed Hermione and Neville to the table. As she ate, she would occasionally glance the room in search of her friend.

One by one, students of all Houses came and went with no sight of him. Harriett had all but given up hope of seeing him that morning, until a familiar mop of blond hair appeared as Naruto entered the great hall, appearing terribly annoyed as he pulled on his tie.

Harriett jumped out of her seat and rushed to him. Naruto noticed her approach and immediately brightened, breaking into a grin. He caught her, holding her in a tight hug.

"I've missed you," Harriett muttered. She had grown accustomed to having Naruto only a few feet away at all times. Now he was in a completely different House.

"Yeah, me too," Naruto said, sounding relieved.

"How are things in Slytherin?" Harriett asked as she pulled back. "I've heard nothing but terrible things about that House!"

"It's not that bad," Naruto dismissed. "Woke up to find out that apparently our dorms are almost underwater, so that was something. Also, our rooms are in the dungeons; I'm pretty sure that's why a lot of the Slytherin are pale."

Harriett giggled at that, feeling relieved that her friend didn't appear too concerned with his placement.

"I wonder if there's a way to switch Houses. If Slytherin isn't too bad, then maybe I can transfer with you?" She suggested.

"No!" Naruto exclaimed quickly before clearing his throat. "I mean, you don't have to. I'll ask around and if it's possible, I'll transfer to Gryffindor."

Harriett was glad her friend was of a similar mind.

"Are you hungry?" Harriett asked. "There isn't much time left but you should be able to have something. The pancakes are good!"

She led him to the table where Naruto was immediately greeted by an enthusiastic Hermione.

"Have you your class schedule?" Hermione asked. "Oh, and good morning."

"Morning," Naruto said, taking a seat before fumbling through his robes. He pulled out a piece of crumbled paper. "Yeah, found it on my table this morning."

"It looks like we share four out of our seven classes!" She exclaimed. "Now, I don't know your studying habits, but if we – "

"Hermione," Naruto interrupted her with a slightly strained smile. "I'm really looking forward to our classes together too, but it's kinda early and I'm starving. Can we talk about this later?"

"O-Of course," Hermione said, appearing hurt by his words.

Harriett knew she shouldn't have found satisfaction in her distress, but she didn't like the notion of having her consume even more of Naruto's time. Also, while she was never the best student in class, she certainly did well enough. If anyone would help Naruto study, it would be her.

"Don't take it like that," Naruto said softly while palming her head, his hand disappearing in the thick of her hair. "I'm not saying I don't wanna study or spend time together with you. It's just that, I've never been good at school so I don't really want to think about it right now."

"I understand," Hermione said with a semblance of a smile returning. "I love studying, but not everyone does. I'll help you if ever you find yourself falling behind."

"I'll gladly take you up on that!" Naruto said, throwing a hand over the girl's shoulder, bringing her into a side hug. "Thanks, Hermione!"

"Y-You're very welcome!" Hermione stuttered, flustering slightly. After Naruto let her go, she lowered her head, hiding behind her hair.

And just like that, Harriett was frowning again. Though, a sudden thought occurred to her.

"Where was our schedule?" Harriett asked Hermione. "I didn't get one."

"Yes you did," Hermione said, peeking out from behind her hair. "It was on your nightstand but don't worry, I read it for you. We have the same classes so you may follow me."

"Oh, well, what were our classes?" Harriett said uncertainly. She was somewhat bothered by the liberty Hermione had taken in reading her schedule, even if there was no real harm in it.

"In order, _History of Magic_ , with Professor Cuthbert Binns, _Herbology_ , with Professor Pomona Sprout, _Charms_ , with Professor Filius Flitwick, _Astronomy_ , with Aurora Sinistra, _Transfiguration_ , with Professor McGonagall," Naruto winced at the name while Hermione paused to catch her breath. " _Potions_ , with Severus Snape," Harriett repeated her friend's action a moment later. " _Defense Against the Dark Arts_ , with Professor Quirrell, and finally, on Thursdays, _Flying_ , with Madam Hooch."

"Which of those do we share with Naruto?" Harriett asked.

"That would be _Transfiguration_ , _Potions_ , _Defense Against the Dark Arts_ , and _Flying_ ," Hermione explained. "Naruto's first four classes are the same, only his are in a different order to ours."

"You remembered all that?" Naruto asked, sounding impressed.

"It's not that much, really," Hermione disregarded.

"At least we have four classes together," Harriett said, smiling at him. "We can also spend time together after class."

"Sounds like a plan," Naruto said. He glanced over to Neville who had, since her friend's arrival, yet to speak. "Neville Longbottom, right?"

"You remembered?" Neville asked, astonished.

"My memory's not that bad," Naruto quipped. "How ya doing this morning?"

"G-Good, thanks for asking," Neville said with a toothy smile.

Breakfast ended far too soon for Harriett's liking. She didn't get to speak with Naruto as much as she would have wanted, because Hermione did most of it. As they were about to leave, a few Prefects from every House volunteered to guide them, an offer many First Years took willing advantage of.

Naruto gave her another quick and parting hug before rushing after a pale Slytherin Prefect, while Harriett followed her own House's Prefect, a short girl of Asian descent, and kind in her direction. She was excited and nervous for her first class, as it would be an important one, in her opinion.

 _The History of Magic._

Her friend had apparently already conducted some research before arriving at Hogwarts; a fact he had somehow forgotten to mention. Though given their bout in the weeks leading up to their departure for Hogwarts, she couldn't necessarily blame him. Also, Harriett wasn't too fond of the idea of Hermione having common ground with Naruto.

Harriett was well aware her one-sided rivalry was childish and completely unwarranted. Naruto was allowed to have as many friends as he wanted. In fact, she didn't mind that he was befriending Neville that morning, or even Ron the previous day. But, for one reason or another, she simply didn't like the idea of Hermione becoming his friend, at least not a close one.

Was it so wrong to be selfish every now and then, Harriett wondered?

She didn't have much and life until Naruto entered it. He was the seeming catalyst for a positive change in her gloom existence because after meeting him, things had only gotten better. Sure, they had their arguments and misunderstandings, and she would have received entrance into Hogwarts regardless. However, after befriending Naruto, Harriett couldn't imagine a life in which he didn't inhabit hers.

Harriett would allow Hermione to continue familiarizing herself with Naruto, but he would always be _her_ best friend.

She wouldn't allow anything, or anyone, to change that.

Her first four classes went by rather quickly, but dully. There was no magic to be learned in any of them. They were more so introductions into what subjects they would be learning about their first year, as well as learning a bit about each individual teacher. Though to be expected, it was no less boring.

Finally, _Transfigurations_ class rolled around, the first class she would be sharing with Naruto. Unfortunately, along with sharing a class with her best friend, she would also have to share a class with Slytherin. Or more specifically, Draco Malfoy and his goons, who all three sneered in her direction the moment she entered the room. She chose to ignore him as she searched for her friend.

Naruto was already in the room and was seated in the far back, next to a blonde girl who appeared to be speaking with him rather heatedly. Her friend was simply ignoring her, with his chin in the palm of his hand, staring forward, seemingly bored with whatever she was saying to him.

He noticed her arrival a short instance later and stood abruptly, making his way towards her in a rush. The girl followed Naruto with her glare, something he didn't seem to notice but Harriett did.

"Who's that?" Harriett asked.

"Who?" Naruto said following a hum. He turned to follow her gaze to the furious blonde girl. "Oh, that's Daphne Grassgreen or whatever."

"It's Greengrass!"

"Anyway, let's have a seat before there's no more room," Naruto said, completely ignoring the girl.

Confused, Harriett followed Naruto as he led them to the side where most other Gryffindors sat, casting another glance at the girl.

"Why was she angry at you?" Harriett asked.

"I dunno," Naruto said with a shrug. "She's kinda been following me around all morning, nagging me about this and that. It's not important. Anyway, how were your first few classes?" He asked.

"Oh, they weren't too bad, but they were rather slow," Harriett admitted. "I was hoping we'd learn some actual magic."

"Me too. All we did was talk about ourselves and other boring stuff. I'm ready to learn how to use this thing," Naruto said, pulling from within his robes his wand.

"Wands away, Mr. Uzumaki!"

Harriett joined Naruto in startling at the sudden voice, low and monotonous as it was. Sometime during their short conversation, Professor McGonagall had appeared at the head of the class. She was certain the strict witch was not in the classroom when she had first entered and she had not seen her come in.

"Right away, Professor McGonagall!" Naruto said with a nervous chuckle. He tucked it away within his robes and sat with a straight back.

Harriett snickered to herself as she recalled Naruto's crass choice of words after having been sorted into Slytherin. Personally, she did not mind when he used such language but she did find it endearing that he was trying to restrain himself around her.

"I'll say this once and I ask you pass this on to your truant House mates; you are not to have your wands out unless first instructed by your Professor," Professor McGonagall announced, her piercing gaze sweeping the room.

Harriett had not realized others had their wands out until she saw them putting them away. She had forgotten hers in her dorm and was glad that she had not needed it because she wasn't sure she could find her way back to the Gryffindor dorms. Also, she didn't feel like asking Hermione for directions as the girl would no doubt lecture her.

"With that said, class will begin soon," Professor McGonagall said, taking a seat behind her desk.

"That lady is scary," Naruto whispered.

Harriett giggled at that.

"She does seem rather strict," she added in support.

"I think it's best if I don't make her angry," Naruto said with yet another nervous chuckle. "Anyway, where are the others?" He asked, glancing around the room.

"Last I saw Ron, he was in the previous class, talking with Dean and Seamus," Harriett said.

"What about Hermione and Neville?" Naruto asked.

Harriett almost frowned but managed to restrain herself from doing so.

"Neville had to use the restroom, but since he doesn't know where anything is, Hermione offered to help him find it," she explained.

"That's nice of her," Naruto said with a smile. "She seems really smart, doesn't she?"

"She's actually rather bossy," Harriett muttered.

Naruto looked about ready to respond when Hermione entered with Neville close behind. Ron, Seamus, and Dean came in shortly behind them, the three boys laughing about something.

"Oh, Naruto, you're already here," Hermione said, taking an immediate seat next to him. "I do hope you've found all of your classes well."

"Eventually," Naruto said with some sheepish reluctance. "Our Prefect kinda left us after our first class, so I've just been following everyone else around."

"I'm sure you'll get it down eventually," Hermione encouraged.

"Attention now," Professor McGonagall announced. "Now that we're all here, we may begin. I want to preface this by saying that Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Now, I'll say this once anyone caught messing around in my class will be asked to leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Collectively, the class leaned forward when Professor McGonagall pulled from her cloak her wand. With a shake and words whispered, her desk turned into a pig. The transfigured animal turned to them and squealed once before just as quickly morphing back into the inanimate desk.

"So kinda like a Henge," she heard Naruto muttered at her side.

"Do not believe it will be as easy as I made it apparent," Professor McGonagall said. "Before you can even think to do as I have done, you must first learn the basics. Everyone, notebooks out."

For the next hour and a half, Professor McGonagall droned on about the history of magic, something even Professor Binns had not covered in the _History of Magic_. She had to shake Naruto awake a few times throughout the lecture while Hermione, as expected, was ever attentive.

"With that out of the way, I do believe we have enough time for some practice. Wand's out everyone," Professor McGonagall instructed. "I will be handing out matches and it is up to you to turn them into needles. I'll tell you the incantation after I've handed them out. I understand your excitement but restraint is a virtue."

Harriett turned to Naruto and found him mirroring her excitement, a feeling which lasted all of an instant before she remembered she did not have her wand with her.

"Oh no!" She whispered to herself.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked.

"I forgot my wand back in the Gryffindor dorms," Harriett admitted, feeling panic build within.

"We can just share mine for now," Naruto suggested. "That creepy old guy from the wand shop said that you can use another person's wand, it might not work as well as your own, though."

"It'll have to do for now," Harriett muttered, anxious to practice magic. "Thank you, Naruto."

Naruto only smiled at her.

After Professor McGonagall was done handing out the matches, she returned behind her desk, wand in hand.

"Now, to turn your match into a needle you must first take hold of your wand with your dominant hand," she instructed, doing so herself for example. "The incantation is _Flintifor_ ; say it whilst giving your wand a light flick. Go on then, give it a try."

"You can try first," Naruto said, handing her his wand.

Harriett accepted it eagerly, the moment her hand closed around the refined grip, something very unexpected happened.

When Harriett first grabbed the wand which, if Mr. Ollivander was to be believed, had chosen her, she felt a warmth course through her body. Beginning in her belly, the sensation had spread throughout her entire body, encompassing her. Some of that warmth, she felt, had gone into her wand, drawing it in as though it was consuming some of it.

After that initial rush, Harriett had not felt that same warmth whenever she would hold her wand. It felt inanimate and hard, as one would expect from a piece of shaped wood.

Naruto's wand felt different beyond simply texture. The moment Harriett had wrapped her fingers around the wand, she felt the warmth from that day return full force. The sensation felt stronger this time, hot almost, spreading through her at a much quicker rate. Only this time, the heat she felt seemed to originate from the wand rather than herself.

The near overwhelming feeling lasted all of a moment before it was gone, almost as if it had not happened. But Harriett could not deny just how pleasant it felt, nor could she ignore the sudden vigor she was currently experiencing. She had been alongside Naruto in almost falling asleep during Professor McGonagall's lecture. Now she was feeling wide awake, giddy almost.

"Uh, what was that?" Naruto asked.

Harriett turned to her friend, who was staring at her oddly.

"What was what?" She asked, wondering if somehow, she had made a scene similar to the one Naruto had when he first grabbed hold of his wand. A quick glance of the room revealed the others with their heads down, busy flicking their wands away, muttering the incantation with growing frustration.

"It's just that," Naruto paused, as if heavily considering his next words and leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "I think I felt something just now. Like...well I can't say it now but we'll talk about this later, okay?"

"Okay," Harriett agreed, now even more curious as to what had happened. She returned her attention to the match before her. She pointed Naruto's wand at it and spoke the incantation with a flick.

Nothing happened.

"Try again," Naruto said with sympathy in his words. He likely saw the frown she was now sporting.

Harriett tried again and again, speaking the incantation with different inflictions while flicking the wand with varying force, but nothing seemed to work. Try as she might, the match remained completely unchanged.

"It's okay," Naruto added, taking a hold of her hand. "Just try –"

Harriett felt a jolt run through her as his hand made contact with her own hand holding the wand. Naruto recoiled, pulling back as though he had been burned. She felt the same warmth from before return to her and she had the sudden urge to try again.

" _Flintfor_!" Harriett called out and, following a feint blue flash, her match turned into a shiny needle. "I did it!" She exclaimed rather loudly; she realized a moment later as she felt the eyes of all upon her.

Professor McGonagall approached and picked up the needle, inspecting closely before setting it down. She actually smiled at her.

"Very well done, Ms. Potter. Very well done indeed," she praised. "Five points to Gryffindor!"

Harriett felt her face heat up at the cheers and praises she was receiving from her House. A quick glance in her friend's direction revealed Naruto was smiling at her, the corners of his eyes creasing to match the luminescent expression. The pride in his eyes warmed her the most.

"Settle down," Professor McGonagall said, holding up a hand. "There is still some time in class yet. Back to it!"

"Thank you," Harriett said as she returned her friend's wand.

"Anytime," Naruto said, pressing shoulders with her for a short moment. "Now, let's see if I can do this too!"

Harriett watched Naruto closely as his first and second attempts ended similar to her own. He paused, his brows furrowing in concentration, his messy hair falling over his forehead as he stared down at the match, as if trying to change it into a needle with sheer will alone.

She was suddenly stricken with the urge to touch the birthmarks on his face.

" _Flintfor_!" Naruto whispered sharply and with a flick of his wand. In a brief flash of blue, his match also became a needle.

"Another success!" Professor McGonagall seemed both genuinely surprised and impressed. "A job well done, Mr. Uzumaki. Three points to Slytherin!"

There wasn't any reaction from the Slytherin side of the room, with the exception of a few scoffs and a huff from the blonde girl from before. Naruto was congratulated by Hermione first, followed by herself, and finally Neville.

Naruto suddenly seemed bashful at their praise and Harriett was reminded that he was also an orphan like herself. He had his godfather, but didn't meet him until he was thirteen. Harriett had a feeling her friend was withholding some things from her when little he spoke of his childhood and the time before he became a ninja.

One thing was for sure; Naruto wasn't any more use to being praised than she. In that moment, Harriett decided that she would make sure to remind him of just how special he was to her, more often.

* * *

Before class ended, only Hermione managed to turn her match into a needle.

Their next class was _Potions_ with Professor Snape.

Naruto was following Harriett to the side occupied by the Gryffindor when a sudden and cold voice called his name.

"Naruto Uzumaki," Professor Snape said his name slowly and antipathetically. "Slytherins will sit with Slytherins in my class."

Naruto had been anticipating such a rule in at least one of his classes. They had gotten lucky that most of their Professors didn't mind the commingling of Houses.

"Maybe next class," Naruto said to Harriett and Hermione both before making his way to the back of the room where no one was seated yet.

He sighed audibly when Daphne strolled into the classroom and occupied the seat next to him.

"Perhaps you aren't as worthless as you appear," she began in a low voice, her unimpressed gaze pointed forward.

"Is that how you start off all of your conversations, or am I just special?" Naruto asked sarcastically.

"You know Potter," Daphne said, ignoring his quip. "I'll have you introduce me when classes end."

"Oh no," Naruto said, shaking his head. "Harriett's too nice to be tainted by you. Also, didn't you want me to die yesterday? Why would I introduce you?"

"I may have overstepped my boundaries," Daphne said with audible reluctance. "You made me angry but I cannot deny the fault in my own actions. For a Mud – I mean, for a Muggle-born, you seem to have your merits. You've already scored our House three points."

"Ya'know, it's kinda hard to tell if you're being sincere," Naruto said.

"I'm saying that I'll allow you to associate yourself with me going forward if you introduce me to Potter," Daphne said.

"Well, as tempting as that sounds," Naruto began sarcastically, "I'm gonna have to say no."

"I understand that due to your nature as a Muggle-born, you don't know the importance of having friends in high places," Daphne said. "My family is highly influential. I could make your time in Slytherin very easy."

"Look, Princess, if you want to be Harriett's friend, you're gonna have to talk to her yourself. But I'll tell you this, she doesn't care about blood purity or any of that shit," Naruto said as he rested his head in the palm of his hand, next to the girl, his voice dropping low. "Just know that if you insult or threaten her in anyway, and I find out about it...well you'd better hope I don't find out."

"Are you – "

"Threatening you?" Naruto finished. "Yes, yes I am."

"You may not want me as a friend, but I assure you, you do not want me as an enemy," Daphne warned after quickly gathering her composure.

"I can say the same," Naruto retorted.

They glared at one another for a short time and when the girl refused to back down, Naruto found himself smirking.

"I'm not gonna introduce you to her because I know you just wanna use her because she's the Girl-Who-Lived," he said and the narrowing of her eyes assured him of his belief. "But if you manage to pull that stick out, I'll consider it."

"What stick?" Daphne asked, clearly confused.

"Don't worry about it," Naruto dismissed. "Show me you're being sincere and I'll introduce you. Do we have a deal?"

"And what if I decide to approach her myself?" Daphne asked with crossed arms.

"You can try but I can already tell you she doesn't care for bully's like you, so good luck with that, Princess," Naruto said.

"Whatever, I don't need your help, you filthy Mud-blood," Daphne spat in a harsh whisper.

Naruto rolled his eyes and decided he would ignore the girl from that point forward. He was far passed the days of trying to make friends with everyone he met. He had Harriett and that was all he needed, or really even wanted.

As the class progressed, Naruto quickly learned that Professor Snape was very strict, managing to be more so than Professor McGonagall herself. However, while Professor McGonagall's actions were more disciplinary and no nonsense, Professor Snape's methods of teaching bordered on the malicious.

Naruto didn't care because he was set on keeping to himself and out of trouble. Professor Snape was Slytherin's headmaster, and apparently, was not above showing favoritism to his House. He had not so much as looked in his direction and seemed to ignore much of the Slytherin's chatter, so long as it did not supersede the volume of his own voice.

Gryffindor, on the other hand, was not given such a privilege. Harriett had asked Neville something and Professor Snape seemed to snap, immediately deducting five points from his friend's House, effectively making her earlier achievement null.

That angered Naruto but he was forced to swallow that feeling. Though it became hard to do so when it became glaringly apparent that Professor Snape had an unfounded contempt towards his friend. He grilled Harriett with questions she couldn't possibly answer, ignoring Hermione's attempts as he seemed intent on humiliating his friend.

Naruto already knew he wouldn't get along with Professor Snape. And, as much as it infuriated him, there was nothing he could do but sit by and grit his teeth, silently scheming over ways in which he could get back at the man. Making use of his Shinobi training to use ways that could not be traced back to him.

He had a few ideas involving seals and if Professor Snape insisted on alienating his friend, his revenge would go beyond simple pranks.

Eventually _Potions_ class came to an end and in that time, Professor Snape solidified his place on Naruto's list of people to be genuinely weary of. Though the pale man had not so much as looked in his direction once, he seemed to hate Harriett and that was something he could not stand for.

He met with Harriett immediately after class.

"Are you okay?" Naruto asked as he grabbed her hand, leading her along.

"Yes, though I don't understand his problem with me," Harriet said with a frown.

"I don't know but if he keeps it up, I'll have to do something about it," Naruto said.

"You don't have to do that," Harriett quickly said. "Naruto you can't get in trouble, remember? I'll just ignore him, really."

"Fine," Naruto relented.

There was no need to needlessly worry Harriett. Naruto decided he would bite his tongue and refrain from doing anything. That was unless Professor Snape's actions were to ever go beyond mere bullying. Regardless, he would remain on high alert around the man. His experience with Mizuki was a harrowing reminder that adults in positions of power were not above the capability of evil.

Naruto made a personal promise to protect his best friend, and he meant to keep his word, no matter what that entailed or the consequences.

"Thank you," Harriett said, offering him a reassuring smile. "We should get to our next class. We still have to discuss what happened earlier."

"Right," Naruto agreed, feeling the unease from before return at the mention of that.

 _Defense Against the Dark Arts_ with Professor Quirrell was something of an experience. Not one Naruto would classify as pleasant, much less enlightening. Professor Quirrell stuttered at least twice every sentence he spoke and while it was admittedly amusing at first, it quickly became bothersome. The man who was supposed to teach them how to protect themselves against the Dark Arts, was perpetually petrified by the world surrounding him.

After yet another class of nothing learned, Naruto led Harriett out of the room before anyone could stop them.

"Is there anywhere in the Gryffindor common rooms where we can speak in private?" Naruto asked.

"My room maybe?" Harriett suggested with a shrug. "I'm not sure, really. I'm roomed with Hermione, Lavander, Parvati, and another girl.

"I don't think we'll find privacy anywhere else," Naruto muttered to himself. "What about your bed? Does it have curtains around it?"

"It does," Harriett confirmed.

"That'll have to do," Naruto said. "Do you remember the way there?"

"Erm, maybe?" Harriett said, sounding unsure.

We could get Hermione to take us back," Naruto suggested. "You did say she seems to know her way around."

"We could but how are we going to explain..." Harriett trailed off, her cheeks suddenly coloring something fierce, her eyes retreating behind a curtain of dark tresses.

"Harriett?" Naruto inquired.

"How are we going to explain why you're going into my...bed," Harriett finished in a whisper, turning away.

Naruto blinked for a moment, confused as to why that would be a problem, before realization struck him like a slap to the face. His own cheeks heated up slightly, but he retained his composure.

"Ah, yeah. Let's just see if we can't find it ourselves," Naruto said.

Fortunately, they found the Gryffindor common rooms with little incident. It had taken Harriett that time to finally reclaim her aplomb. Though one thing Naruto failed to consider was the fact that he was a snake in the lion's den. Their fellow first years didn't seem to mind his presence; it was the older students who were throwing side-glances in his direction, not all bad and thankfully, no one said anything.

Granted, they were only in the Gryffindor tower and had yet to reach the common room. Naruto anticipated trouble before reaching their destination; he just didn't think it would come in the rotund shape of a fat lady in a portrait.

Harriett said her name was The Fat Lady, and Naruto found it on the nose and maybe even a little rude, but fitting.

"Password," the pale fat woman in the portrait demanded.

"Pig Snout," Harriett said.

"Very well," the woman said, the portrait began to creak open before it abruptly slammed shut again. "Excuse me, but whom may you be?"

"This is Naruto, he's my friend," Harriett said, nervously glancing at him.

"He's also a Slytherin," The Fat Lady said pointedly, and as if that was reason enough to justify her sudden mood. And perhaps to her it was.

"Is that a problem?" Naruto asked, trying to sound calm and as least confrontational as possible.

"The last time a Slytherin was here, he hurt a girl I found precious," The Fat Lady scowled, the expression falling away as her beady blues shifted to Harriett. "History has a pesky way of repeating itself and I'll not have a hand in it!"

"I would never hurt her," Naruto declared. "I would die first!"

"Naruto!" Harriett gasped. "Don't say that!"

"Okay, that may have been a bit dramatic," Naruto admitted, feeling suddenly embarrassed by his proclamation. "But it's not like it's not true."

His embarrassment was rewarded with a brilliant, if a bit worried, smile.

"I see," The Fat Lady said following a long and loud hum. "Very well, Slytherin. You may enter, but be warned, any mischief and you'll never see the inside of Gryffindor again!" She warned.

"I understand," Naruto said.

With another huff, the portrait swung open to reveal a door.

They rushed past the others, ignoring the few Gryffindor's confused fixation as they made their way up the stairs leading to the girl's dorm. They had made it about half way when abruptly, the stairs gave way beneath their feet.

Acting quickly, Naruto caught Harriett in his arms and applied chakra to his feet and proceeded up the stairs and into the girl's dorm. Thankfully, the room was empty.

"Does that usually happen?" Naruto asked as he set her down.

"If you mean the stairs giving way?" Harriett deadpanned. "I've only been here one night but no, I don't think that was supposed to happen."

"Maybe it's meant to keep boys out?" Naruto guessed. "I remember our Slytherin Prefect saying something about keeping out of the girl's dorm unless we face horrible consequences, or something like that."

"I'm glad collapsing stairs is all that happened. Also, thanks for saving me back there, Naruto," Harriett said.

"Don't mention it. Now, which one's your bed? I'd like to set up a few things to make sure no one listens in," Naruto said.

Harriett led him to her bed and closed the curtains around them.

"Of course, it'd be dark," Naruto muttered, opening the curtains to allow enough light for him to see. He unsealed four strips of paper from one section of a seal on his arm, and then another set of four from another.

"Do you think you could teach me that?" Harriett asked, staring at the faintly glowing seal on his arm before it disappeared into his skin.

"I'd be happy to! Though I'm hoping we can use magic to power them because I'd rather not have you using your blood," Naruto said, giving her a thumbs up to show where he would bite himself. At one point he was beginning to develop something Jiraiya coined a 'Sealer's Thumb' but he managed to heal up nicely. "Biting your thumb isn't bad when you're used to it but I remember how much it hurt when I first started."

"I can't wait!" Harriett exclaimed.

"But first," Naruto said, pressing the seals to each curtain. "Alright, since this technically isn't a room, I'm gonna need to test something. I'm gonna close the curtains around you and I'll stand outside. I want you to talk or something and if I can't hear you, then we'll know it works."

"Okay," Harriett agreed.

After setting up the final seal, Naruto shut the curtains around Harriett and waited. For a moment, he could hear nothing but the muffled chatter from the students below. After a few more moments, Harriett's head popped out from behind the curtain.

"Did you hear anything?" She asked. "I was shouting."

"Not a thing, which is a really good," Naruto said, entering the bed again. He set up the final of his seals, chakra suppressing seals, and closed the curtains around him.

Making sure of Harriett's positioning at his side, Naruto outstretched his right hand and formed a Rasengan for light.

"It's amazing every time I see it," Harriett said, sounding awed.

"Yeah but remember, don't touch it," Naruto warned.

"I really want to learn how to do that," Harriett said, sounding semi-entranced by his technique.

"Well, there may be a way," Naruto began and as expected, her gaze snapped upward, her glasses reflecting the blue of his technique.

"What do you mean?" Harriett asked.

"Earlier, when you were using my wand, I think something happened," Naruto said. "When I touched your hand, the one you were using to hold my wand, I felt as if it was sapping some of my chakra."

"Is that a bad thing?" Harriett asked, sounding worried.

"Depends, for you or for me?" Naruto asked.

"For you, obviously," Harriett said. "What happens if you run out of chakra?"

"It wouldn't be good but trust me, it would take a lot for that to happen. I think I have more chakra than the old man," Naruto said.

"You mean you're stronger than Mr. Jiraiya?" Harriett questioned with wide eyes.

"Not really," Naruto admitted. "He can still kick my butt without really trying. I just have more chakra, so don't worry about me. The amount I felt drained was kinda like a drop in the ocean. I barely felt it, but did feel it. Shortly after, you were able to do the spell," he leaned forward. "Did you feel anything?"

"I felt something really warm," Harriett began, her eyes narrowing in thought. "Like when I first held my wand. Only when you touched my hand, I felt a lot warmer and then, I was able to complete the spell."

"Well when I tried the spell, I did it without using chakra and nothing happened. After that didn't work, I used my chakra and focused it into my wand. After that I was able to do the spell," Naruto said. "I'm starting to believe that maybe chakra is magic. And if it's not, then it's probably really close."

"So you gave me some of your chakra?" Harriett asked.

"Assuming they're the same thing, I'm thinking that's what happened," Naruto said, palming the back of his head. "But I'm not completely sure."

"Then can we try again?" Harriett asked, visibly ardent. "If you can give me chakra, or magic, or whatever, then maybe you can teach me to do some of the things you can!"

"Actually, I don't think that would be a good idea," Naruto began, reluctantly and immediately saw her face fall. "It's not that I don't want to teach you! It's just that, I think we should send my godfather an owl before we try anything. I'd like his advice because I don't wanna risk hurting you by accident."

"How could you hurt me?" Harriett asked with a slight tilt of her head.

"If somehow magic is chakra, then you would have coils. I think the old man once described them like veins carrying blood. It's like I said, I have a lot of chakra so my coils are bigger than most," Naruto said, hearkening back to a conversation he once had with his godfather. Apparently, his chakra coils were large to accommodate his own naturally large reserves, along with the Kyuubi's own power.

"Are you trying to say that mine may be too small to hold your chakra?" Harriett asked.

"Pretty much," Naruto said. Also, thinking of the beast, he couldn't risk tainting his friend with the Kyuubi's chakra. It was detrimental to anyone not a Jinchuuriki, toxic almost. "But again, that's only assuming magic and chakra are the same thing."

"How can we possibly find out?" Harriett asked.

"I guess we could start off by seeing if you can channel chakra but that'll have to wait for another time. We'll need to find somewhere here in Hogwarts where we can be alone and uninterrupted. For now, I think we should just focus on our studies," Naruto paused, the Rasengan in his hand flickering for a moment. "I can't believe I just said that."

Harriett giggled at that.

"I understand and I'll hold you to it," she said.

Naruto was about to respond but stopped himself hearing the clear approach of hushed girlish chatter.

"Quick, in here! I heard she brought a boy into the dorms!" A voice said and was promptly shushed.

"I heard it was the cute blond from Slytherin, the one with whiskers!" Another girl squealed. She was also shushed.

"They must be snogging right now! Why else would the curtains be drawn?" The first girl said.

"Shut up or they'll hear us!" A new voice chastised.

"Ah crap!" Naruto whispered, knowing full well he hadn't the need. "It's gonna look bad if they find me here with you! I've got to hide!"

Naruto pictured a nondescript book and allowed the his Rasengan to dissipate as he performed a Henge.

"What did you do?" Harriett asked.

"I disguised myself! Quick, you need to act like you're asleep, I'll sneak out later!" Naruto ordered.

Not a moment after Harriett had buried herself beneath the sheets, the curtains tore open to reveal three grinning faces. Each expectant expression fell, almost one by one.

Harriett played the part of someone being rudely awakened expertly, blinking and frowning at them.

"Can I help you?" She asked, sounding annoyed.

"Oh, we're sorry," A girl with golden brown hair apologized, her face turning pink. "It's just that, we heard you brought a friend up here."

"You must be thinking of Naruto, a friend of mine from back home," Harriett said, sitting up. "I showed him around the Gryffindor commons and then he went back to his dorms. I was trying to take a nap before dinner when you three interrupted."

"That would make more sense," the other girl added. Her skin was darker and her hair shoulder length and black in color. "My older sister said boys aren't allowed in the girl's rooms. There's supposed to be some sort of spell keeping them out."

"We're sorry we interrupted you," the first girl apologized again, pulling away. The two other girls followed her example.

Harriett stared at his disguise curiously before shutting the curtains around her and everything went dark again. Once Naruto was sure they were gone, he released his Henge and created another Rasengan for light.

"That was close," Naruto sighed. "We're really gonna need to find a place to meet in private. For now, I think I should get going. I'm gonna write the old man a letter explaining everything that's happened so far."

"Do you have to leave so soon?" Harriett asked, the blue glow of his technique accentuated her frown.

"As much as I don't want to, I really need to brief the old man," Naruto tried to explain.

"Brief?" Harriett questioned.

"I need to report to him," Naruto clarified. "Besides, it's too dangerous for me to be here. I'm in Slytherin and you're in Gryffindor. We've only been here for two days and I've already realized that our Houses don't get along. Normally I wouldn't care about that stuff, and I still don't, I need to keep out of trouble as much as I can."

"I understand, I suppose," Harriett muttered. "It's just not fair. Why couldn't you have been placed in Gryffindor?"

"Hey," Naruto extended the hand cradling the Rasengan away from his friend to throw an arm around her in a hug. "Don't be like that. You're still my best friend and we're still gonna spend as much time together as possible. Nothing will ever change that. Now, why don't you write your own letter for the old goat, and Janice. We'll send them tomorrow."

Harriett hugged him back and thankfully, she was smiling again.

"Okay," she simply said.

"I knew you'd understand," Naruto said with his own grin. "I'm gonna leave the seals up for now. It's up to you if you want them active or not."

"So, they'll still work even when you're gone?" Harriett asked, intrigued. Her glasses glinted as she looked up to where the design had since faded.

"They should. These are specially designed by the old man to last months. And you don't need to constantly reactivate them once they're on. The only time they wouldn't work is when the curtain's open." Naruto explained.

"Fascinating!" Harriett said in awe. "I can't wait to learn that!"

Naruto felt a smile bloom on his face at the prospect of sharing something of his with his friend.

"We've got so much to do this year," he said.

Harriett's smile was a reward in and of itself.

"How are you going to sneak out?" She asked. "Maybe you could turn into a book again and I'll carry you out."

"That won't work. I can disguise myself as a book, but I won't weigh like one. While I can change my appearance, my weight will remain the same," Naruto explained. "So as much as I don't like it, I'll have to Henge into a girl from Gryffindor and sneak out."

He cringed as he recalled having ever learned the technique that turned him into a girl, and just how he chose to implement it.

"Another thing you'll have to teach me," Harriett remarked with a grin. "But who'll you disguise yourself as?"

Naruto had to think about that one. He couldn't disguise himself as any of the girls that had just visited them because it was possible they were still lingering around downstairs. It was too bad they were the only one's he'd gotten a semi-good look at. With the exception of Harriett and Hermione.

"Hermione," he concluded. "I think she mentioned something about looking for the library. I should be able to Henge into her and sneak out. Once I'm in the common room, I'll find a corner or something to change back. The Fat Lady may get suspicious if I don't come back."

"Oh, I suppose that makes sense," Harriett muttered.

Naruto would be the first to admit, depending on who was asking, that he was never the brightest of the bunch. Harriett had been reacting oddly at the mention of Hermione all day and it was something he couldn't outright ignore. Though at the same time, he wasn't sure he needed to address it yet, if at all.

Harriett was the kindest soul he'd ever had the privilege of knowing. She was nice to everyone they'd met, with the exception of the Dursleys. Even then she didn't have it in her to truly hate them. Naruto didn't find the need to hold her to a high moral standard. If they encountered someone she disliked, he wouldn't judge, only support her because he trusted her.

That being established, he was beginning to like Hermione for the reasons he assumed Harriett didn't. She was smart and had no issue proving it. She said what was on her mind, even if it was to the annoyance of others, and was assertive; even if subconsciously.

Beyond all of that, Naruto saw some of himself and even Harriett in Hermione; an outcast. He could recognize the loneliness in her eyes because it was the same Harriett once displayed. If his friendship with Hermione was to eventually develop further, he would have to address his friend's seeming dislike of the bushy haired girl. In the meantime, he was hoping the matter would resolve itself.

"Well, here goes nothing," Naruto said, performing the required seal with Hermione's person in mind.

"That never fails to impress me," Harriett said in the dark of the bed.

"You can't even see me yet," Naruto joked as he pulled aside the curtains to let in some light. "But thanks anyway!"

"It's so weird hearing your voice out of her face," Harriett said.

"Yeah, I'll have to alter my voice before we leave the room," Naruto said as he jumped out of the bed. "Wouldn't want to..."

Behind him, he heard Harriett gasp and Naruto realized too late why.

Standing before him, wide eyed and mouth agape, was Hermione Granger. She was staring at her own mirror image, rightly shocked.

"Ah, I can explain," Naruto said, slowly raising his hands in a calming manner. He mentally chastised himself for not having Harriett check to make sure there was no one else in the room. He was careless and now he was in trouble.

"N-Naruto?" Hermione stuttered, seemingly recognizing his voice.

"Would you believe me if I said magic?" He tried, dropping his illusion knowing talking to herself would only be that much more jarring.

"What are you...how did you...why did..." Hermione struggled to form a cohesive sentence.

Before Naruto could think of a way to explain himself, he heard the door creak open, allowing in the familiar voices of the girls from before, chatting quietly amongst themselves. In a panic, he wrapped his arms around both girls, charged his chakra, and thought of the seal he'd imprinted on one of the bed posts in his dorm.

"Hold on!" He urged in a whisper before the world blurred around him.

* * *

 **Woah.**

 **If you want a good representation of my face reading last chapter's comments, look no further than my profile picture.**

 **In all seriousness, all I can really say is give the story a chance. I have a rough idea of where I want this to go and that entails Naruto being in Slytherin. I had that much planned since the beginning.**

 **Also, Naruto is, and isn't the same person from canon. He won't be evil, but he will do whatever he has to protect his real friends. And let's not forget about the Kyuubi, who will have a role in this story eventually. That's all I'll say on that matter in order to avoid spoiling the story.**

 **With that out of the way, I want to apologize for the long wait. Same old excuses, but they're still true. I work and was busy with the spring semester and life in general. I'm going to take a semester off to take a second job because the struggle is real.**

 **That being said, I don't know when next I'll update, but I'm always writing when little I have free time. So we'll see. Thanks again to everyone who continues to enjoy and follow my story. Until next time.**


	8. Chapter 8

Hermione Granger always knew she was different, she just wasn't sure how. Of course, she was aware that she was smarter than most her age, and her parents both said that was what made her special.

It certainly made her no friends.

However, Hermione was always certain that there had to be more to her life than the world she knew. It was a distinct feeling she was aware of, but it was also one she couldn't quite place. That was until she received the letter inviting her to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

At first, she and her parents thought the letter to be nothing more than a joke. After all, the Grangers were nothing if not logical. Both her mother and father were professional dentists and as such, there was no place for nonsense in their home. After all, Witches and Wizards were nothing more than children's fairy tales.

With that reasoning, it came as a great surprise when one Arthur Weasley arrived at their home one day. In accordance with the acceptance letter, the friendly man introduced them to all things magic. He even escorted them to Diagon Alley, where they purchased her supplies and learned of an entirely different world; hidden in plain sight.

It was a life changing experience to say the least.

And it was also where Hermione first met Naruto Uzumaki.

Initially, Hermione didn't think much of him other than that his blond hair was vibrant, his large eyes a deep blue, and the whisker like markings on his face made him look cute. An opinion accentuated by the lost expression he displayed as he searched for his pet.

Unfortunately, their first encounter was something of an awkward experience. Hermione had gone and made an utter fool of herself when first she spoke to him. She did so by talking his ear off; a bad habit she was well aware of, but it was also one she could not help.

As expected, Naruto seemed somewhat annoyed by their one-sided conversation, but he didn't immediately dismiss her like so many others her age were prone to doing. This fact alone had her eagerly anticipating their next meeting.

On some level, Hermione realized her actions were anything but logical. In fact, it was downright foolish to believe a friendship could spawn from such a prompt and otherwise unproductive first meeting. She was desperately grasping at straws, hoping one would save her from her terrible loneliness.

Because Hermione was lonely. She had not a single friend to speak of, and she didn't believe her parents counted, no matter how much they assured her otherwise.

That's why she was pleasantly surprised to run into Naruto once more. Well, barge in on, more like. She was helping her coach-mate, a stumbling and bumbling nervous boy by the name of Neville Longbottom, search for his lost toad when next she found him.

He was seated in a compartment with a rude boy with red hair and a face full of freckles, and The Girl Who Lived.

It was an interesting encounter for certain. To have met a celebrity of the Wizarding World so soon, if at all. Yet, Hermione found herself eagerly conversing with Naruto once more. It was nice to see a familiar face, she told herself.

Better yet, Naruto was actually speaking to her with no underlining annoyance. He seemed to be in much higher spirits than when she first met him and he'd even gone as far as to invite her to join them!

He did so against the wishes of the boy, Ronald Weasley, and Naruto's own apparent best friend, Harriett Potter.

Now, Hermione was always taught to be humble by her parents. With that lesson ever present in her mind, she acknowledged being smarter than most her age, and even some older. Sometimes, she really wished she wasn't because with intelligence came an acute sense of self awareness.

It was this same sense of self-awareness that allowed Hermione to easily deduce that both Ron and Harriett didn't like her very much. For a short instance, she worried that would affect how Naruto perceived her.

It hadn't.

He treated her no differently than he did both Ron and Harriett, albeit not with the same familiarity as with the latter. And, despite his less than stellar grammar, Naruto knew how to hold a conversation with her in a way she was not accustomed to with others her age.

It was too bad he had been sorted into Slytherin.

Though despite the rumored divide between Slytherin and most other Houses, Naruto didn't allow circumstances to come between him and his friendship with Harriett. Something she admittedly envied.

But Hermione knew people were allowed to have more than one friend and she wanted to be one of his.

That was why she decided to follow him and Harriett instead of visiting a magical library, like she had originally planned. Of course, she was feeling rather nervous about approaching them after they most clearly escaped Professor Quirrell's class in something of a rush. So, Hermione did her best to maintain her distance in hopes of getting away with a none too chance encounter.

She didn't expect them to go to the Gryffindor dorms.

Something she hadn't discovered until a little later because she was unfortunate enough to get caught in a staircase rotation, losing sight of the two. Finding herself in a place unfamiliar, she decided it best to try again another time. Thankfully a third year Ravenclaw was kind enough to point her in the direction of the Gryffindor dorms.

Once she finally made it to her House Dorms, she found her dorm mates clambering on about how they were almost certain Harriett Potter had brought a cute blond Slytherin boy up to their room. Hermione immediately knew who they were referring to.

Deciding to find out for certain, Hermione trudged up the stairs to find a mirror image of herself, who turned out to be the very person she was looking for.

Naruto Uzumaki.

Before Hermione could coherently question as to how he was able to so accurately copy her own appearance, Naruto grabbed both she and Harriett and then the world blurred.

Hermione was confused as to why everything was so dark and more importantly, as to what had happened. Her head felt as though it was on the verge of spinning and her orientation was thrown off because one moment she was standing, and the next she was laying down.

"That was a mistake," Naruto groaned.

Hermione could feel the vibration of his voice through his chest, quickly reminding her that Naruto had grabbed ahold of her and maintained it. She could feel herself rise and fall along with his accelerated breathing. He sounded terribly out of breath.

"What did you do?" Harriett's confused voice sounded from her side.

"Panicked," Naruto muttered.

"Erm, Naruto?" Hermione began slowly.

A hum was her acknowledgment.

"Could you perhaps let me go?" Hermione said, feeling embarrassment edge out her overall confusion.

"Oh, right!" Naruto exclaimed. "Sorry."

Hermione felt herself lurch forward and into a seated position and felt his arm release her. She then felt him move out from behind her and suddenly there was a crease of light. It didn't take her long to realize they were in a bed with the curtains drawn up to the sliver Naruto was peaking his head out from.

"Looks like there's no one here right now," Naruto muttered in relief. Hearing a soft mew, he looked down to see his kitten at his side. "Oh, hey kitty!"

"Naruto, what did you do?" Harriett asked again.

"Did you pull us into Harriett's bed?" Hermione asked as she looked around. Though she didn't remember their curtains being dark green in color, or seeing Naruto's kitten the night before.

"About that," Naruto began following a nervous chuckle. He was looking at her with visible uncertainty. "I kinda panicked and did the one thing, ya'know, the one I should only do in emergencies."

Hermione quickly realized that despite looking at her, Naruto was speaking to Harriett.

"You mean your father's..." Harriett trailed off with wide eyes.

Hermione was thoroughly confused as to what they were talking about, and if there was something she didn't like; it was being uninformed.

"Yeah," Naruto muttered sheepishly.

Deciding to find out for herself, she drew open the curtain to find a window partially submerged above a large Slytherin crested carpet. A quick look around the room revealed more indicators of a single conclusion.

She was no longer in the girl's dorm in Gryffindor.

"I can explain," Naruto began slowly, reaching forward to pull her back into the bed by her shoulders. "Maybe."

"What do you mean, maybe?" Hermione asked, snapping her head to meet his eyes. "We were just in our dorms, and now we're here! What happened? What did you do?"

"Naruto," Harriett said his name meaningfully and they shared an equal look.

"Uh," Naruto expressed his hesitation using a tick she didn't care for, before turning back to regard her. "Magic?"

"But you didn't use your wand," Hermione pointed out. "As far as I know, only the most experienced of Witches and Wizards can use wand-less magic. I'm sorry, Naruto, but I don't believe you fall under that category."

"You don't know that!" Harriett said, quickly coming to her friend's defense. "Naruto's actually quite good when it comes to magic."

"Then prove it," Hermione demanded. "Take us back to our dorm at once!"

"He doesn't have to prove anything to you!" Harriett said with a frown.

Hermione decided she would return the favor.

"Girls," Naruto called out and placed himself slightly between them. "Look, Hermione, I'm sorry. I kinda panicked and activated a family tecni – spell. And I did use my wand, but, well you just didn't see. Also, I can't really take us back."

"Well you must do something!" Hermione demanded. "Girls are not allowed to be in the boy's dorms! I'd rather not get in trouble on my second day at Hogwarts!"

"I'll find a way to get you two out of here, I just need a second to think," Naruto said, peeking his head out of the curtains again.

"How were you able to transport us here in the first place?" Hermione asked. As concerning as the situation was, her more curious side was beginning to show again.

She couldn't recall reading anything on teleportation magic in any of the books she'd read outside of mentions of something referred to as a Floo Network; though she'd yet to encounter any such thing.

"I guess it just kinda happened because I – "

"Kind of," Hermione corrected him.

"What?" Naruto asked, confused.

"You keep saying, 'kinda'," Hermione clarified. "That's not a real word. Please say 'kind of' from now on."

"Right," Naruto muttered. "I _kind of_ activated the spell on accident. It's a family technique and it's too dangerous to use without proper practice. I'm not really at the level where I can use it confidently. I got lucky this time, but I'd rather not risk our safety by trying it again."

"Then you're from a magical family?" Hermione concluded. "But I don't remember seeing your last name in the list of the ancient families."

"That's because I'm not from any ancient family," Naruto said and seemed to immediately take pause, his eyes narrowing in thought and as if he had realized something. A conclusion supported by his hum and the thoughtful narrowing of his eyes. "It's a spell my mom helped my dad master."

"Your parents must be amazing Witches and Wizards!" Hermione exclaimed. The idea of knowing someone who could potentially teach her more magic was a prospect she found exciting.

"Yeah," Naruto muttered, his expression turning momentarily downcast.

Hermione realized she'd said something wrong but she wasn't exactly sure what. The nasty glower Harriett was leveling in her direction reinforced this notion.

Feeling the bed shift, she saw Naruto crawl over to Harriett and whisper something in her ear. Her expression quickly turned from angry to concerned.

"Naruto, you can't! We can't trust her!" Harriett claimed.

Hermione didn't like that.

"How else am I gonna get you two out of here? I know I can do it but it ain't gonna be easy," Naruto said in just above a whisper. "Not without possibly using my… spells."

There were so many instances of informal contractions, but Hermione decided that perhaps it wasn't the proper moment to point anymore of them out. Naruto already didn't look to happy and it had taken her far too long to remember she wanted his friendship.

Provided he didn't get her in trouble.

She was also very interested in what Naruto and Harriett could possibly be referring to.

"You can't tell her," Harriett insisted.

"Tell me what?" Hermione asked.

"Naruto, please, trust me. You cannot tell her," Harriett was pleading now.

Naruto appeared greatly conflicted.

"Tell me what?" Hermione asked again, this time with arms crossed. Now she really needed to know.

"I've been practicing magic outside of Hogwarts," Naruto finally admitted.

Was that it?

Hermione knew of the rule concerning magic usage outside of Hogwarts, but she couldn't help herself. In the month leading up to her arrival to the Wizarding world, and against the wishes of both her parents, she practiced magic. She usually did so in the privacy of her room, and in the dead of night.

She was happy to report she knew a few spells herself!

"I've been practicing magic too!" Hermione proudly proclaimed.

"You have?" Naruto seemed surprised.

"But of course! I just had to!" Hermione said. "As a matter of fact, watch this!"

She reached into her robes for her wand and pointed it at Harriett's glasses. However, before Hermione could so much as think of the incantation she was so eager to show, Naruto's hand shot out and grasped her wrist in a grip almost painful.

"What the hell are you doing?" He asked in an angry voice she didn't recognize to be his.

The words to explain herself escaped Hermione in the face of his anger. She didn't think it was possible for such an otherwise kind boy to look so terribly frightening.

"Naruto," Harriett said his name in a soothing tone, grasping the forearm currently holding her. "Let her go. I don't think she was meaning to hurt me."

But he didn't let her go.

"Why are you pointing your wand at her face?" Naruto asked through grit teeth.

"G-Glasses!" Hermione squeaked. "I m-meant to repair her glasses!"

"Naruto," Harriett urged, pulling at his hand this time.

He blinked, his anger falling into sorrowful realization as he released her.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Naruto apologized, "but you can't go pointing your wand at people like that."

"No, I'm sorry," Hermione said, accepting the fault in her own actions. She supposed she wouldn't like it if someone, especially someone with little experience like herself, pointed a wand at her face.

"No, I kinda, er, kind of, overreacted," Naruto said, looking truly regretful as he palmed the back of his head. "I'm sorry again, Hermione."

"It's okay," Hermione muttered, feeling like a scolded child.

For a moment, no one spoke.

"So, uh, why don't you show us that spell?" Naruto suggested.

"S-Sure," Hermione agreed with much less enthusiasm.

Naruto reached for Harriett's glasses and stopped just short of taking them from her face. They shared a look and it was almost as if they were communicating without using words. Following a nod, he presented to her the old pair.

"Right," Hermione cleared her throat without really needing to before pointing her wand at the glasses in Naruto's hands. " _Oculus Repairo_!"

In a brief but bright white flash, the tape holding Harriett's glasses together fell away to reveal a solid bridge.

"Woah," Naruto uttered in awe. "Look, Harriett, she really fixed your glasses!"

Harriett grabbed her glasses, squinting as she inspected them closely. She then put them back on, becoming semi-crossed eyed as she looked down in an attempt to see it from on her face.

Naruto chuckled and poked her nose.

"You looked funny doing that," ya'know," he said.

Harriett briefly pouted at him before turning to regard her.

"Thank you, Hermione, that was most impressive," she said.

Hermione didn't think she looked as excited as Naruto, but she did seem grateful.

"You're very welcome," Hermione said.

"Oh yeah, so we really should sneak out of here soon," Naruto chimed in. "It'd be bad if you two get caught in here."

"I agree, but I'd like to see some of your magic later," Hermione said.

"We'll see," Naruto said, sticking his head out of the curtains again, only to pull it back in a moment later, appearing rather nervous. "Ah, girls, a totally unrelated question here, but what do you think about snakes?"

Snakes?

"What do you mean?" Hermione questioned.

"Oh ya'know, just asking," Naruto said following a nervous chuckle.

"I think they're somewhat interesting," Harriett said.

"I suppose I haven't given it much thought," Hermione pondered. "I've only really seen them at the zoo."

"Naruto took me to the zoo!" Harriett said.

Hermione wondered why she felt the need to report that, or why she seemed so proud of the fact.

"So, neither of you are scared of them, right?" Naruto continued with his odd line of questioning.

"Not really," Harriett said. "Why do you ask?"

"How do I put this?" Naruto began reluctantly and with a light sheen of sweat gathering on his forehead.

Hermione was about to question as to why he was behaving so nervously and evasive, but then she heard it. Something sounded like a tire deflating. The more attention she paid it, the more the strange sound resembled hissing.

"Why is your kitten doing that?" Harriett asked, looking down to Naruto's kitten. Her back was arched and she was hissing but that was not the main source of the sound.

Hermione barely registered this as she came to the conclusion Naruto was keeping from them. She grabbed onto the curtains and flung them open.

"Snakes!" She shouted.

The floor surrounding the bed seemed to take life as dark greens and blacks melded into a reflective, writhing mass as the entire floor was covered in snakes.

"Yeah, snakes," Naruto muttered with a haunted look in his eyes. "A lot of snakes."

Hermione joined Harriett in clutching onto Naruto out of sheer terror. Viewing snakes behind a glass enclosure was one thing, being mere feet from a mass was another nightmare entirely.

"W-What are we going to do?" Harriett asked nervously.

"It just had to be snakes," Naruto continued in something of a trance, his hands balling into fists at his side. "I guess I should have expected it, being Slytherin and all but – "

"Naruto!" Harriett shouted right into his ear and shook him as the mass of snakes surged in their direction.

"Right, uh," Naruto's expression refocused into one of concentration. "Hermione, you said you wanted to see more of my magic?"

"Naruto you cant!" Harriett said.

"I don't think I have a choice anymore," Naruto said with a shake of his head.

Before Hermione could answer his question, or ponder on his follow up statement, Naruto snapped the curtains shut, drenching them in darkness. For a moment, all she heard was the quickly intensifying hissing of the snakes, and then a pop. When the curtains parted again, she was surprised to find two of him.

"H-How did you..." Hermione trailed off, looking at who she believed to be the original Naruto, taking into account his placement on the bed. She then slowly turned to the other Naruto, who shared not only his appearance, but also his serious disposition.

"Magic, now we need to get out of here," Naruto said and his identical nodded in agreement, dispelling her own notion of a mere illusion.

The presumed look-alike reached for Harriett, but was immediately stopped by the girl, who moved away and towards the original Naruto. Her idea of the look-alike's sentience was cemented by the momentary hurt he displayed before moving in her own direction.

"Come on," the look-alike said and it was the only warning Hermione received before he hoisted her up into a bridal hold.

"W-What are you doing?" Hermione stuttered. She felt uncomfortable being held by a boy, even if it was a copy of Naruto.

"I need to get you two out of here," Naruto said as he hoisted Harriett into his arms in a similar fashion. "This is how I'm doing it."

For a second time, Hermione was briefly stricken by his sudden change in behavior. Earlier, his anger was admittedly frightening; now, his expression was set in a seriousness that was also a stark contrast to the normally aloof and warm boy she was becoming familiar with.

It was almost as if she was looking at a completely different boy.

Hermione yelped as the Naruto look-alike moved to the edge of the bed before, with no warning, jumped towards another bed, landing on one of the four posts. She looked over his shoulder to see the original Naruto do the same with Harriett a moment later.

Seeing just how little foot space Naruto had to work with made Hermione realize just how little her own look-alike must have had. She clung to the copy and stilled, fearing he would lose his balance at any moment.

But he never did.

"Hold on to me, I need both of my hands for this," the original Naruto said.

Hermione peeked at them again, seeing Harriett wrap her arms around his neck and was now seated on his left forearm. She was intrigued to see Naruto contort his fingers into an odd shape, but was unable to see why when the look-alike palmed the back of her head, pushing her into his shoulder.

She tried to resist but it was like pushing against a solid wall of stone; there was simply no give. Before Hermione could voice her displeasure, she heard what sounded like a strong gust of wind, and then a manic wave of violent hissing.

Hermione continued to struggle until the look-alike finally relented and when she looked up, she saw most of the snakes located near the door dissolving into what looked like ash. Any questions she had stayed within her intentions as they jumped again, landing in the newly made clearing. Oddly enough, she didn't feel as jostled as she had been anticipating.

A moment later the original Naruto landed at their side in a semi crouch and with a grace that produced almost no sound. He quickly opened the door and they both rushed out, shutting the door on a surge of encroaching snakes.

"Stay close," the original Naruto instructed as he set Harriett down. A moment later, the look-alike also set her down. "We still need to make it out of here without being seen."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Harriett asked.

Hermione was of a similar thought. They were currently in a long and somewhat dark and damp hallway illuminated by steady torches with dancing green flames. Just a few paces ahead was the entrance to what had to be the common room, if the distant chatter was of any indication.

"I need you to go ahead and cause a distraction while I get the girls out. After that, find a private place to dispel," Naruto instructed.

For a short instance, Hermione believed Naruto was speaking to her.

"Got it," the look-alike said from behind her. He slowly made his way towards the sources of the sounds and the only seeming way out of the hallway.

"Make sure you don't get dispelled under any circumstances until you're out of sight," Naruto called out after him in a whisper.

The look-alike gave a thumbs up over his shoulder but did not turn around or stop.

"I'm going to need you two to stay close and follow me. Don't say a word unless you really need to. We have to be as quiet as possible," Naruto said, continuing to speak with a solemn seriousness.

Harriett nodded her acceptance, already standing close to Naruto but Hermione had her questions. However, the expectant look he was giving her didn't give much room for argument.

"Very well," she reluctantly agreed. Hermione decided to put her curiosity aside for the moment. She was truly nervous about getting caught and into trouble. With that possibility in mind she would follow Naruto's lead for the time being, but she wasn't willing to allow her many questions to go unanswered.

"Come on then," Naruto grabbed ahold of Harriett's hand and motioned her to follow them.

Reluctantly, Hermione did as she was asked. They positioned themselves just beyond the entrance to the common room where Naruto motioned them to stop with a single hand and not a word said. With another silent gesture, he pressed them flush against the wall.

"You guys are a bunch of pricks!"

Hermione peeked out from behind Naruto to see his look-alike jumping on the back of one of the fine leather sofas, using his momentum to ride it down as it fell over, taking two chubby boys tumbling along with him.

"Take that back you – "

The look-alike quickly maneuvered behind a familiar looking boy with platinum blond hair and pulled his underwear from behind, lifting the now crying boy a foot into the air before dropping him. Hermione didn't approve of such actions and yet, she couldn't fight the small smirk that tugged at her face.

"Catch me if you can, assholes!" The look-alike shouted before pushing aside one of the chubby boys from earlier.

There was an air of shocked silence surrounding those present in the Slytherin common room, as if they could not believe what had just occurred.

"Don't just stand there, after him!" The boy cried out, his voice a few octaves higher than normal.

The collective confusion lasted only moments before chaos erupted as everyone rushed out after the look-alike.

"Okay, as funny as that was, I'm definitely not making any friends here now," Naruto muttered. "Stupid clone."

"Didn't you say they take after you?" Harriett pondered in a whisper. "Doesn't that mean it's something you would do?"

Naruto stared at Harriett for a brief instance, his expression plain, before he reached out and pinched her cheek, pulling it side to side gently.

"H-Hey!" She cried.

"Come on, let's go now that it's clear," Naruto said with a small smirk, patting Harriett's cheek softly before pulling her along by the hand.

Hermione followed after the two, out through the dreary Slytherin common room. The sounds of coalesced indignant was on the retreat, getting lower in volume by the moment. She took that opportunity to take in the room, feeling as though she was seeing something she wasn't supposed to.

Other than luxurious furniture and a dark ambiance, there wasn't much to see. Expectations often outweighed reality, it would seem.

Naruto quickly led them across the large common room, pausing to peek his head out down the long hallway, finding it fortuitously vacant. After making it through two long stone corridors, they all found themselves collectively breathing easier the further they distanced themselves from Slytherin.

"At this point we can probably get away with saying we were just spending time together," Naruto announced. Yet they were still not out of the proverbial woods, if the glowing green torches and House crests were of any indication.

"Aren't you afraid you'll be in trouble?" Harriett asked. "You did... I mean your clone did cause a commotion."

"Yeah, that's going to be troublesome," Naruto admitted before shaking his head with something of a smile. "Damn, I'm starting to sound like Shikamaru now."

What a quaint name, Hermione thought.

"Who's that?" Hermione asked.

"An old friend," Naruto said before pausing as if he was considering something. "I think?"

Hermione wondered how he could mistake a friendship.

"Anyways," Naruto quickly continued, "I think we made it!"

"Naruto Uzumaki," a dispassionate voice sounded, cutting Naruto's celebration short, and putting a pause on what little relief she was feeling.

"Well sh – "

* * *

No.

That was not a mistake Naruto was willing to repeat. At least not so soon. Though as he stared at the grim face of Professor Snape, he knew he was already in profound trouble. He could only imagine what the crowd of smug Slytherins amassed behind the man, including Draco Malfoy, had told him.

Likely the truth and then some.

"Shoot," Naruto finished, steeling himself for what was inevitably to come. He turned back to Hermione and Harriett and saw the similar yet slightly differing concern marring their faces. He knew he had to be brave for them. He did his best to offer them as much reassurance as he could in a single smile. "You girl's go on ahead, I'll see you tomorrow."

"But Naruto," Harriett commenced but one glance over his shoulder had her falling silent again in the face of Professor Snape.

"Go, I'll be fine," Naruto urged.

Harriett met his eyes, her fear turning into something else.

"I won't leave you," Harriett announced, sounding resolute and looked it until Professor Snape redirected his attention to her.

"Fitting you'd be friends with this _delinquent_ , Potter," Professor Snape droned, all while somehow managing to sound impassive and insulting all at once.

"Take her, Hermione, we'll talk later," Naruto said, returning his spiteful attention back to Snape.

"Right," Hermione took hold of Harriett and moved to pull her along. She seemed to have trouble but thankfully, Harriett relented, if visibly reluctant.

He watched both girls scurry away until they disappeared around a corner, both offering him a final worried glance as they did so.

"Follow me, Uzumaki," Professor Snape said stiffly and with no room for argument.

Naruto silently did as he was asked, doing his best to ignore Draco's infuriating smirk along the way.

He immediately took notice of their direction; back towards the Slytherin dorms and Naruto wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing. That meant he wasn't being taken to Headmaster Dumbledore, at least not in that moment.

Professor Snape directed him through a series of twists and turns, leading him deeper into the dungeons, and through areas Naruto had not yet been through. He had every intention of exploring every possible area of the castle available to him when the time presented itself. Now, as a result of his recklessness and an aptitude to panic, he may not get that chance.

Naruto soon found himself in a room befitting what little he knew of Professor Snape, and what he wore on his sleeve.

The first thing he felt was the choking heat, obviously originating from the large cauldron bubbling away at the center of the room. The only light in the room came from the flames licking the side of the cauldron, illuminating walls lined with racks of what appeared to be potions of varying colors and constitutions, among other capsulated oddities. Aside from the potions, there were independent shelves brimming with books of varying sizes and composition.

At the head of the eerie room was a single desk with something of an organized mess atop it. There were neat stacks of books, some papers, and a quill pin resting in a small tin of ink.

"Have a seat, Uzumaki," Snape said as he rounded the desk to the ancient looking chair.

Naruto stared at the cauldron on his way to the desk, and he could have sworn to have seen a face in the bubbling green mixture. With a calming breath, taking in a lungful of the foul-smelling vapor, he seated himself in the only seat available opposite the antagonistic man.

"Care to explain why you deemed it acceptable to assault a fellow student?" Snape questioned.

Naruto wondered how the man was able to sound menacing and yet, impassive all at once. He supposed it had something to do with his face set in a sullen mask.

"It was a prank, Professor Snape," Naruto said, deciding to be as diplomatic as he possibly could. As proven time again, his temper and lack of thought continuously wrought nothing but trouble.

"Draco Malfoy was clearly in pain when he found me, I hardly consider that a mere jest," Professor Snape said. "I've many witnesses who say you attacked Malfoy unprovoked. I could have you expelled for this."

Naruto felt his heart fall into panic.

"Is that what you're going to do?" He asked with as much composure as he could muster.

"And why shouldn't I?" Professor Snape challenged.

"My prank was a way of getting back at Draco for calling me a Mud-blood," Naruto tried. "I don't know much about how things work around here, but I'm pretty sure that's bigotry."

"Do you have any proof of this?" Professor Snape asked with a slight twist of his head. "Did you perhaps report this to anyone?"

"Well, no but – "

"Then it sounds to me like nothing more than a child's feeble attempt at justifying violence," Professor Snape cut in sharply.

Naruto found himself in a corner. Politics and verbal contests were never what he excelled at. Action had been what carried him through most of his life, and while he wanted nothing more than to crush Snape's face for how he treated Harriett, he knew there was nothing he could physically do to help himself.

He had to think.

"How else would I know that word?" Naruto began slowly. "I only recently learned of the Wizarding World, while I'm pretty sure Draco was born into it. Not only that, but it's pretty obvious that a lot of others in Slytherin didn't want me in the House to begin with. Is it that hard to believe that he called me a Mud-blood? He's not the only one who has."

For the first time, Snape's composure broke into vicious anger.

"What are you implying, Uzumaki?" He asked, leaning forward aggressively.

"I'm not implying anything," Naruto stated calmly. "After being surrounded and being mocked for not being from a Wizarding family, and being called a Mud-blood, I reacted by pranking Draco. That's what happened and I'm sure that's what everyone'll believe."

"Are you saying your word carries more weight than my own?" Snape asked, outraged.

"Not at all," Naruto said, leaning back in his seat, feeling his confidence return to him. "I've only been here two days and I can already see there's a lot of people in Slytherin who hate anybody that's not from a Wizarding family. If I can see it, then I'm pretty sure the other Professors are aware of it."

Snape's downright furious expression eluded to the weight of his assumption.

"Consider yourself warned, _Uzumaki_ ," Snape spat his name with audible venom befitting the Slytherin Headmaster. "I'll not tolerate a repeat of your antics today. Slytherin is a house of repute. You will not ruin that."

"I understand, Professor," Naruto said through grit teeth. He knew he was at fault for his actions but he didn't care. The animosity in his eyes was the same he marked Harriett with earlier, and that was something he would never forget.

"Then get out of my sight," Snape said with a disregarding wave of his hand.

Naruto was on his feet and on his way out without any further instruction. The longer he was in Snape's presence, the angrier he became. A feeling he wouldn't act on, but neither would he deny.

"One more thing, Uzumaki," Snape called to him.

He had one hand on the circular iron door handle, held in the mouth of a decorative snake. Naruto simply looked over his shoulder but did not say anything to acknowledge the man further.

"I'd be careful whom you make your enemy," Snape warned with fingers interlaced beneath his chin, the flickering of the cauldron fire painted him in a more ominous light. "The children of many a great family reside within the Slytherin walls. Amongst the most influential are the Malfoys. You'd do well not to make an enemy of any of them. It could prove to be _detrimental_ to your _life_ here at Hogwarts."

There was a clear threat in his words and unlike the warning from Daphne, Naruto knew better than to ignore or disregard it. He would have to be more than careful going forward; more than his place at Hogwarts could depend on it.

Without another word said, Naruto left Professor Snape's office.

He returned to the Slytherin dorms, ignoring the jeers and angry looks from students of varying ages. Naruto kept his head down and moved along as they continued their verbal onslaught, calling him various names, amongst them the same derogatory remark that saved him. The scene briefly brought back memories of his youth, memories he'd rather forget.

"Off to pack your things, I imagine?" Draco called out as he stepped before him, arms crossed. He was backed by not only Crabbe and Goyle, but a few older, much bigger students.

Naruto wasn't afraid of them and that's what angered him the most. For all of his chakra, all of his strength, it did nothing to help him in that moment. He had the consequences of his actions to fear more.

"Sure," Naruto dismissed, slipping through the crowd.

He was thankful for two things when he reached his dorm room; that being that it was devoid of both his roommates, and the snakes that inhabited the room earlier. Naruto jumped into his bed and immediately felt terrible for having forgotten about his kitten. She appeared completely fine and he took comfort in that much.

"Ya'know, I really need a name for you," Naruto muttered, picking her up and placing her on his chest as he laid down. She mewed a few times before making herself comfortable atop him.

With nothing to be done in that moment, Naruto decided he would gather his thoughts before finally writing Jiraiya.

It was then he found himself walking yet another thin line. Naruto suspected that if he reported everything that had happened thus far, his godfather would no doubt call for his retreat.

He couldn't do that. At least not in that point in time. Naruto knew he'd made many a grave mistake, all in the span of two days, some of which may hold consequences yet felt. However, he wouldn't allow his blunders to affect Harriett's time at Hogwarts and he certainly wasn't about to leave her.

With this in mind, Naruto wrote his letter, choosing reluctantly to leave out certain aspects he thought would worry his godfather. In doing so, he realized he was actively making another mistake, but it was a calculated risk he hoped didn't come back to haunt him.

The next day he woke up early and made his way out of the dorms early so as to get ahead of the other Slytherin. Two of his dorm mates had poked their heads in his bed the night before, presumably to see if he had indeed been expelled.

He sent them on their way with a proper glare.

Naruto patted his kitten, which was tucked away in the collar of his robes, and smiled as she purred. After the dubious actions of his clone, he didn't want to risk anyone from his House hurting her in retaliation. She also needed to be fed and he'd forgotten to actually bring any food for her, so along she came for breakfast.

He entered the Great Hall, feeling his belly pit and rumble. After expending a large amount of his chakra to teleport not one, or two, but three people, he was hungry. It certainly didn't help that he'd skipped dinner the night before.

That in itself, was yet another cause for concern. If magic and chakra were somehow linked, then anyone with sensing capabilities would have no doubt noticed the large buildup of chakra he needed to perform the technique.

Even Jiraiya, whom himself was by no means a sensor, could innately sense his chakra output when using the Flying Thunder God. Whether it could be traced directly back to him was another matter entirely.

If only he had the foresight to jump into Harriett's bed, which had both silencing and suppressing seals. But what was done was done and he already had enough to regrets haunting him. With that established, Naruto knew he would have to be on high alert. He could not afford to let his guard drop at any point in the coming days.

"I see you're still here."

Naruto stopped in his tracks, releasing a sigh at the words from the third to last person he wanted to see, much less hear.

"Princess," Naruto greeted dryly, lazily shuffling to meet a pair of narrowed blue eyes belonging to Daphne Greengrass.

"I thought they'd surely have sent you home after what you did to Malfoy, amusing as it may have been," Daphne said with arms crossed petulantly.

That earned Naruto's intrigue.

"You say that like you don't like Draco," Naruto said, taking a seat directly across from her. He took idle note that Daphne was sitting alone despite their being others around, though he didn't put too much thought into that. "Don't all of you esteemed families gather around a fire and, oh I don't know, hate on us Mud-bloods?"

"As if, I can hardly stand the twit," Daphne said with a scowl. "Him and the whole Malfoy family."

"That's the part that offended you?" Naruto muttered.

"I've been thinking about what you said. About the stick and..." Daphne trailed off, her pale cheeks flushing slightly.

"Really?" Naruto said, not believing for a moment the girl had turned a new leaf overnight.

"I find it's total rubbish!" Daphne exclaimed. "I don't capitulate to anyone and I don't need Potter!"

"I don't know what that word means," Naruto admitted, "but I'm pretty sure I get what you're saying. And I'm glad because Harriett doesn't need you either."

"But you do," Daphne quickly added.

"What now?"

"You heard me. You need me," Daphne said with a confident smirk. "If you wish to survive this year in Slytherin, you'll need me. Question is, what have you to offer me?"

"Nothing," Naruto said, standing to leave.

"Wait!" Daphne called out after him, outstretching her hand. She took a moment to glance her surroundings before allowing her hand to fall back onto the table. She cleared her throat and motioned to the seat. "Sit, I believe we can come to an agreement."

"I know what you want," Naruto said, taking his seat once more. "You say you don't want anything to do with Harriett, but we both know that's not true. What I want to know is what you could possibly offer me?"

"It's like I said, I don't need Potter, but you do need me," Daphne said, maintaining that infuriating smirk.

"You didn't answer my question. If you don't want anything to do with Harriett, then what do you want?" Naruto asked, beginning to grow curious.

"Your favor," Daphne said. "I've been watching you and I think you can help me."

"With what?" Naruto asked, his confusion growing into apprehension. "Wait, what do you mean you've been watching me?"

"I can't tell you that now," Daphne said, averting her eyes for a moment. "I'll help you survive in Slytherin, offer you my families' protection so long as you promise to give me your favor."

"You keep saying my favor, what do you mean by my favor?" Naruto asked.

"Your word," Daphne clarified. "There will come a time when I will ask you to do something for me and I want your word that you'll do it."

"That sounds kind of troubling," Naruto said. He tried to subtly look about the room, making sure no one else was listening before leaning forward. "Are you okay? You're not in danger, are you?"

Daphne blinked at him, looking clearly confused.

"Would you care if I was in danger?" She asked.

"Well yeah," Naruto said, palming the back of his head. "If you were in trouble, of course I'd care."

"O-Oh, well," Daphne looked thoroughly confused. "Why?"

"Why not?" Naruto asked. "I mean, yeah, you're kind of a pain in my ass, but I can't just ignore if someone's in trouble."

Daphne stared at him for far longer than Naruto found comfortable, her eyes boring into his own the entire time.

"No, no I'm not in danger," Daphne finally said.

"Then what's this favor you want?" Naruto asked after having released a breath of relief. Daphne may have been annoying and maybe slightly bigoted, but it took more than that to get on his bad side.

It also didn't hurt that she was a pretty face.

"It's like I said, I can't tell you right now," Daphne said.

"Let me get this right. You want me to do you a favor, sometime in the future, but you won't tell me what it is?" Naruto recited in an effort to make her understand his reluctance. "Do you even know what it is you want from me, or is it kinda, er, kind of like a favor to be cashed in later?"

"I know what it is I need from you, I just can't tell you," Daphne said. "Rest assured it has nothing to do with Potter."

"And what makes you think I can help you with whatever it is you want?" Naruto asked. "As you've made clear, I'm a Mud-blood. How could I possibly help you?"

"I wouldn't worry about that now," Daphne was quick to dismiss. "Do you accept?"

Naruto would have turned her down had he not gotten himself in trouble with almost, if not the entirety, of the Slytherin House. His godfather always emphasized the power in knowledge, and given that Daphne hailed from a longstanding family, he could definitely make use of her understanding of the Wizarding World.

"You say I shouldn't worry about it but..." Naruto trailed off. "If I accept, it'll be on one condition."

"I'm offering you my help and yet you still think you can name conditions?" Daphne questioned with arms crossed once more.

"You also want me to do something, someday, but won't tell me what it is even though you know what you want," Naruto countered. "So yeah, one condition."

"Fine," Daphne relented with a sigh. "What is your demand?"

"You leave Harriett out of whatever your little favor is," Naruto said. "I'll keep my end of the deal as long as it has nothing to do with her. If it does, just know I won't do anything for you, no matter what you say or try to do to me."

"And I already said it has nothing to do with Potter," Daphne said, her frown deepening. "But fine, I agree, so long as you do."

"Then I'm gonna regret this," Naruto muttered following a sigh, "but yeah, I agree to our little deal."

"Believe me, you'll not regret this," Daphne said with a smile that was anything but innocent.

"Oh, I'm sure I will," Naruto said as he reached for a plate of fluffy pancakes. "Now, what can you tell me about the great wizarding families?"

Naruto was fascinated to discover something known as the Sacred Twenty-Eight. As the name suggested, they were a collection of twenty-eight wizarding families with both a long lineage, and extraordinary magical prowess and political power. Daphne seemed to stress the great importance of the latter two.

With this, his concern in making enemies of those in the Slytherin House was justified. While Naruto wasn't necessarily afraid of Draco or the others, he knew better than to simply dismiss them as a threat. Given his friendship with Harriett, he didn't want his mistakes affecting her.

At least not until he was fully confident he could protect her from all threats. As much as Naruto wanted to believe he could, to do so would be dangerously naïve.

"Good morning, Naruto!"

Speaking of which, Naruto felt the first smile of the day come to his face at the sound of her voice.

"Harriett," Naruto stood to greet Harriett with a hug. Her brilliant smile reinforced the notion of just how much he had to lose should he continue to lose his head.

He was no longer alone to bear the brunt of his mistakes.

"Good morning, Naruto," Hermione greeted tersely.

Hermione and her ever inquisitive mind were yet more issues he had to resolve, adding to the growing list of his concerns. After the show he put on the day before, she no doubt had many questions; questions he wasn't sure he could answer.

"Good morning, Hermione," Naruto said with his own reservations.

"Come on, I'm quite hungry," Harriett said, pulling him along.

Naruto was halfway to the Gryffindor table when he recalled he was in the middle of a conversation with Daphne. He turned back to her, seeing her staring down to her untouched breakfast with a near blank expression, only slightly contorted into a frown.

"Give me a second," Naruto said, pulling himself free from his friend's grasp. He returned to Daphne, prompting her to look up at him inquisitively. "Wanna come sit with us?"

For a second time, Daphne seemed genuinely confused at his words.

"But your friends are here. We can continue with your questions later. You don't have to talk to me anymore," Daphne said, sounding as confused as she looked. "Also, didn't you say you didn't want me near Potter?"

"Ah, well yeah but, I figured it wouldn't hurt as long as you don't act all stuck up," Naruto said with an accompanying shrug of his shoulders.

Her icy blues narrowed at him.

"I'm not stuck up and I certainly don't need to be friends with the likes of you," Daphne all but spat.

"Well, I tried," Naruto said, returning her frown.

"Just don't forget our deal," Daphne whispered to him.

"I won't," Naruto said before rejoining his friends.

"What was that about?" Harriett asked.

"Nothing," Naruto dismissed as he led them to a more barren section of the Gryffindor table, already knowing what was to come.

"What happened yesterday?" Hermione asked the moment they were seated. "Did you get in trouble?"

"Not really," Naruto began slowly, recalling his talk with Professor Snape and the man's clear threats. He didn't want to burden his friends if he didn't need to. "Snape gave me an earful, but it was nothing too bad."

"Good," Hermione said with a relieved smile.

Naruto wasn't aware his being meant that much to her.

"I don't like him," Harriett said with a frown which Naruto found adorable in its rarity. "And I don't think he likes me."

"Yeah, I think it's best if we try and stay out of trouble for now," Naruto said.

"Coming from you?" Harriett murmured.

"Hey," Naruto muttered with a smile despite himself. Harriett, as of late, was becoming much more outspoken against him and in general, and it made him happy to know she was slowly but surely breaking free of the shell the Dursley's had created. "Anyway, I was hoping we could go see Hagrid sometime today. There's some things I want to ask him."

"What do you want to ask him?" Harriett asked.

"Oh, ya'know, just want to know more about the Wizarding World. And I just want to catch up, it's been a month since we've really spoken with him," Naruto said.

As kind as Hagrid had been to them, Naruto's true purpose for seeing him was in search of a better understanding of how much power the Great Families really wielded. He needed an unbiased perspective because as informative as Daphne had been, she was also a part of those families.

"How do you two know him?" Hermione asked.

"He delivered my letter and took me and Naruto to – "

"Naruto and I," Hermione corrected.

Harriett's eyes narrowed in displeasure.

"He took us to get our things," Naruto quickly added with a nervous chuckle at the signs of a brewing argument. "He's a real nice guy."

"I see," Hermione said with a hum. "A man named Arthur Weasley was whom took us to gather our supplies. He also informed us briefly of the Wizarding World; recommended a few rather good books."

"I wonder if he's related to Ron somehow?" Naruto pondered.

"He did mention he had seven children," Hermione said.

Growing up alone, Naruto always wanted to be part of a big family. When he came of age and learned exactly how that was accomplished, Jiraiya of all people having given him the 'talk', he wanted to have a big family. Yet, seven children seemed too much for him.

"Well anyway, you wanna come along?" Naruto asked Harriett.

"Of course!" Harriett easily agreed.

"Can I," Hermione began in a low and wavering voice. "Can I come along? I'm rather interested in meeting a Giant."

"No," Harriet immediately answered.

"I don't know if..." Naruto had every intention of turning down Hermione's request but the immediate sadness she displayed gave him pause. While he had certain questions for Hagrid, questions that would no doubt catch the abnormally perceptive girl's interests and possibly suspicions, he didn't have the heart to reject her.

"I see," Hermione said, turning to her breakfast.

"Ya'know what? I don't think Hagrid would mind," Naruto said and saw Harriett cast him a look in his peripherals. "Oh, and I'm not sure if he really is a Giant, or just really, really tall."

Hermione's brilliant smile was immediately worth more than the privacy he'd just sacrificed. Naruto decided there would be other opportunities to really question Hagrid.

"Oh, thank you, Naruto!" Hermione exclaimed, and then, as if realizing something, turned to Harriett. "That is if you don't mind."

Naruto shot her a look of his own before she could predictably answer. He tried to convey silent pleads of empathy for the lonely girl with bushy hair.

"Fine," Harriett relented after a few moments of silent staring, and she did so with arms crossed and a huff. She muttered something beneath her breath but he didn't hear what it may have been.

"Then it's settled! Now, let's hope today will be easier than yesterday," Naruto said, trying his best to distract from the rising tension between the two girls.

It was looking like he would have to have a talk with Harriett after all.

* * *

Fortunately, their third day at Hogwarts was somewhat better. They didn't learn anything new, or at least it hadn't felt that way to Harriett.

Despite being a magical school in a world unfamiliar, classes droned on much like they had in the Muggle World. Almost every one of her classes involved even more book learning. As much as Harriett enjoyed reading, she only did so when it involved a great adventure to far off lands, not past Witches and Wizards and their contributions to Astronomy.

The only eventful class was one she would have rather not have anything happen; _Potions_ with Professor Snape.

As with the first day, Snape did not let up on his verbal harassment. If anything, he seemed angrier and more willing to pounce on her every mistake. Throughout the class and onslaught, Harriett would glance in Naruto's direction and each time he appeared angrier.

Thankfully, Naruto was able to keep to himself. As much as Snape annoyed her, she would much rather have her friend stay out of trouble.

Finally, and with little further incident, they found themselves approaching Hagrid's hut. It was a small wooden thing in the near distance with a constant and lazy cloud of smoke rising from the chimney.

"So then what happened?" Hermione asked.

Harriett glanced over her shoulder to find Hermione walking beside Naruto, her wide eyes focused on him in obnoxious curiosity.

"Well," Naruto said following a chuckle and a face splitting grin. "We fought, I won, and then I tied him up and left him on the roof."

"Naruto!" Hermione gasped. "Why ever would you do such a thing?"

"Eh, well," Naruto trailed off sheepishly and with a slight blush. "That's not really important. I beat the so-called top of the class! He was a real a – ah, he wasn't very nice."

Harriett frowned hearing Naruto regale Hermione with tales that until recently, only she was privy to. Of course, the bushy haired girl was missing an important piece of context. That being how the boy she was talking to was a ninja from another world entirely.

However, Naruto was dancing closer to the truth than she would have liked. He had been lucky enough to dissuade Hermione from inquiring more into his abilities by claiming they were family secrets. An explanation the girl seemed to accept and respect easily enough.

That, of course, did not stop the her from asking as many questions as she could in a single breath.

"Still, that isn't a reason to go around fighting people!" Hermione huffed. "Really, Naruto, I do hope you'll refrain from doing so going forward. I'd be a shame if you were expelled for something so senseless."

"Aw, is Hermione-chan worried about me?" Naruto teased.

"A-Am not!" Hermione denied with a squeak that said otherwise.

Harriet didn't have to look back to know Hermione was left flustered by his words.

"What does 'chan' added to my name mean, anyway?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"I would, that's why I asked!"

"We're here," Harriett announced loudly.

Naruto looked at the shack and attempted to whistle, though he did not appear amused or impressed.

"They got – "

"Have."

"Have a whole castle and this is where they have him living?" Naruto said with a shake of his head. "Assholes."

"Naruto!" Hermione chastised, sounding truly shocked by his language.

"Let's see if he's home!" Naruto said in between a laugh. He approached the shack and knocked loudly against the old, sun bleached door.

Immediately and likely prompted by his knocking, a series of loud and vicious sounding barks could be heard from within, followed closely by the distinct gravelly voice of Hagrid. From the sound of the commotion, it almost sounded as if he was wrestling a bear.

"Comin'!"

When the door finally opened, Harriett found herself leaping behind Naruto as she stood nearly face to face with what she momentarily believed to be a bear. It turned out to be a dog befitting a man of Hagrid's stature. Its fur was as dark as a cloudy night with a drooping face and ears, and drool raining from its mouth with every loud pant.

"Oh don't worry," Hagrid said with the same kind smile she remembered. "Fang 'ere's a good boy! Would 'urt a fly!"

As if to disprove his owner, Fang released a short round of mighty barks that sounded like individual roars.

"Down Fang!" Hagrid commanded, pulling the massive dog by its old leather collar.

"Naruto," Hermione muttered uncertainly.

It was then that Harriett realized Hermione had joined her in hiding behind Naruto. In that same moment, the previously slumbering kitten jumped from her owner's shoulders and onto her own, wrapping her tiny warm body around her neck.

"I think he's kind of cute, in a face only a mother could love kind of way," Naruto said following a laugh. He then reached forward, forcing both girls to retreat more than a couple of feet away from the door.

Harriett gasped when Hagrid released his hold of the dog and it immediately charged forward in a massive black blur. With a loud exhale, Naruto was knocked onto his back by the massive dog.

"Naruto!" Hermione cried.

Harriett opened her eyes when she heard Naruto laugh instead of screaming in anything resembling agony, only to find Fang busy lapping away at his face.

"Stop it!" Naruto said with a laugh as he ruffled the large dog's face, shaking its loose skin.

"Tha's enough now, Fang, inside," Hagrid ordered and that time, the massive dog seemed to obey immediately.

"Ew, gross," Naruto muttered as he stood, wiping his face on the sleeves of his robes.

"How did that not frighten you?" Hermione questioned indignantly.

"Eh, I've faced worse," Naruto dismissed.

That's when Harriett was once again reminded that her friend had lived the very dangerous life of a soldier for his village. He was rather tight lipped when in regards to the specifics of what he did during his time as a ninja, and perhaps that was for the best.

Harriett felt her stomach knot uncomfortably in dread every time she recalled the events leading up to his arrival into her life and world. Of just how close she came to never meeting Naruto without having realized it.

She shivered at the thought and briefly wondered how things would have differed in such a world.

"Worse than that?" Hermione muttered.

Naruto didn't answer as he followed Hagrid's beckon to enter his humble abode.

Harriett briefly glanced at Hermione, who was staring right back, before both silently deciding to follow suit.

Exterior appearance aside, the inside of Hagrid's hut was surprisingly homely for what it was; a single room with a bed, a few seats opposite of a roaring fireplace, and what appeared to be a lifetime's accumulation of humble personal belongings.

"Now to wha' do I owe the pleasure of yer visit?" Hagrid asked with rosy cheeks and a smile. He motioned with his large hand to a small and very old sofa before seating himself onto an equally worn recliner.

"Just came to see how you were doing," Naruto said as he took his seat in the center.

Harriett claimed the seat to his right, with Hermione to his left.

"Yes, and I also wanted to thank you again for helping us gather our things," Harriett added.

"D'aw," Hagrid muttered with yet another large smile. "T'was nothin'. Yer very welcome, non tha' less! Now, how's 'bout you two? How ya been? Them no good muggles didn't give ya any trouble, did they?"

"No, Naruto had me – "

"I kept a close eye on her," Naruto interrupted, throwing an arm over her shoulders, pulling her into a side-hug with a proud grin stretching his whiskers. "Trust me, they didn't bother her. It's like the Dursley's weren't even there!"

Right, Harriett forgot Naruto implored she keep her stay with him a secret. Thankfully, Hagrid didn't seem to catch the misdirection.

"Tha's great tah hear!"

Hermione, on the other hand, did not appear at all convinced. Her eyes were narrowed in what Harriett was beginning to associate with inquisition. Fortunately, she did not say or question anything in that moment.

"Now, who may this be?" Hagrid asked, finally turning to address the aforementioned girl.

With Hagrid's attention on Hermione, Harriett took the opportunity to mouth her apologies to her friend. She was relieved to see Naruto simply smile down at her in a way that wordlessly reassured her he was by no means upset.

She smiled back at him.

"My name is Hermione Granger," Hermione introduced herself. "I've come because I am interested in magical creatures. You're the first Giant I've ever seen!"

"Is that so?" Hagrid said with something of a nervous chuckle.

"She's just kidding, Hagrid," Naruto added with a sheepish chuckle. "But we are here because we wanted to know a little more about the Wizarding World."

Harriett glanced at Hermione from over Naruto's arm, as it was still wrapped around her, and saw the girl frowning in their direction.

"Oh, well what would ya lot like to know?" Hagrid asked with visible relief.

"When we first met, you said there was no real way of knowing if someone uses magic," Naruto began.

"Aye, anyone over seventeen, tha' is," Hagrid said.

"Right, over seventeen... wait, what?" Naruto blinked a few times. "What do you mean over seventeen?"

"Well yeah, there's no way of knowing if ya used magic outside o' Hogwarts when yer over seventeen. It's why I asked ya to keep my magic use 'tween the two of us," Hagrid explained.

"No, you said there was no way of knowing if someone used magic outside of Hogwarts unless you get caught," Naruto said.

"Yes, unless I get caught," Hagrid repeated, tilting his head in mild confusion.

Harriett heard Naruto take a deep breath.

"Hagrid, what does being seventeen have to do with anything?" Naruto asked.

"The Ministry O' Magic knows when Witches and Wizards us magic outside o' Hogwarts until you turn seventeen. After tha', ya only get in trouble if ya get caught."

"So you're saying that they _can_ detect magic use outside of Hogwarts!" Naruto exclaimed.

Hermione swallowed audibly at their side and Harriett could feel Naruto's hold on her tighten.

"Aye!" Hagrid agreed with another smile, seemingly oblivious to Naruto's, Hermione's, and now her own concern.

"How about inside of Hogwarts?" Naruto asked. "Is there any way of knowing if someone uses magic inside of school?"

"I," Hagrid trailed off, his eyes roaming to the roof of his hut in thought. "I don't know, if I'm being 'onest. I wouldn't think so, though. They only need tha' Trace to make sure Hogwarts students ain't using magic outside of school grounds."

"Trace?" Hermione piped in. "W-What Trace?"

"The one they used to make sure ya kids don't use magic outside of Hogwarts," Hagrid explained.

"How does this Trace work?" Naruto asked. "I mean, what is a Trace?"

"It's a charm placed on all Hogwarts students," Hagrid said.

"A charm?" Hermione muttered to herself.

"When?" Naruto asked with traces of panic in his tone. "Do we have a Trace on us right now?"

"I reckon so," Hagrid said, staring at Naruto oddly. "Yer sounding a little upset there, No-rue-too."

"So you're saying someone put a charm on us that detects magic use?" Harriett reiterated.

"Aye!" Hagrid said.

"When did they do this?" Naruto asked.

Harriett was now worried by the sudden change in Naruto's expression. He was no longer smiling in fact, he was now completely serious, almost angry.

"Now tha' I don't know," Hagrid admitted thoughtfully. "And I don't really know 'ow it works. All's I know is that the Ministry O' Magic places a trace charm on all Hogwarts students."

"Shit," Naruto whispered lowly, so low only Harriett heard due to their close proximity.

"So would they know if you use magic in Hogwarts?" Harriett asked, knowing exactly what had Naruto worried.

"Don't think so," Hagrid said. "Merlin knows I've seen kids usin' magic all willy nilly and nothin' ever comes of it!"

"Am I going to be in trouble?" Hermione muttered after having been absent most of the conversation.

They all turned to find the girl with tears in her eyes.

"I don't want to get in trouble, I want to stay," Hermione continued sadly.

"Hey," Naruto began, moving quickly to kneel in front of the distressed girl. He placed his hands above Hermione's own on her lap. "You're not gonna get in trouble, okay. If they knew you used magic, they probably would have said or done something by now."

"You don't know that," Hermione muttered.

"Actually, I don't think ya get the Trace until ya get here," Hagrid added. "Least that's what I've 'eard. Never quite put much thought into it, though. But I'm sure you've got nothin' to worry 'bout!" He quickly added.

"See?" Naruto said, putting on a smile as he palmed both her cheeks and thumbed away her tears. "Now come on, don't cry! Everything's gonna be okay, I promise!"

Harriett didn't know how to feel about what she was seeing. As annoying as she was finding Hermione, she did feel horrible seeing her cry out of genuine fear. And while she was relieved to see Naruto comfort her, she still felt as though something was being taken from her.

She simply wasn't sure what.

"Going to," Hermione said.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"You keep saying 'gonna'. I would prefer it if you say 'going to'," Hermione's words were punctuated with a sniffle.

Naruto was momentarily confused before abruptly breaking out into a boisterous laughter. He stood to his feet and pulled the girl into an awkward hug. Due to Hermione's seated position, her head rested against his belly as he ruffled her hair.

"I'll try to keep that in mind, Hermione-sensei," Naruto said with continued humor.

"Sen-sei?" Hermione's question was muffled from beneath him. When Naruto let her go, she looked up to him with slightly tinted cheeks and inquisition. "What does that mean?"

"It means teacher in my first language. I'm Japanese," Naruto said.

"But you don't look Japanese." Hermione pointed out. "And your accent sounds American. Not to mention your blond hair and blue eyes."

Harriett focused on Naruto, who briefly glanced at her, before returning his attention to Hermione.

"My dad's from America and that's where I was raised. Anyway, I'm getting kind of hungry, aren't you?" He asked.

"I'm not – " Hermione's denial was interrupted by the low growl of her stomach. She immediately blushed. "It's because you mentioned food!"

"Don't worry, I'm hungry too," Naruto said with a smile, palming her head again, prompting even more embarrassment from the girl.

"Gonna be a real lady's lad," Hagrid muttered to Fang, chuckling to himself. "I've got some amazing biscuits if you lot are 'ungry!"

Harriett was unsure of what Hagrid was referring to but the possibility of food was much more enticing as she was feeling rather famished herself.

As it turned out, Hagrid's idea of delicious biscuits were nothing more than solid lumps of bread that almost resembled stones. They were certainly as hard as rocks and chalky in taste. What Harriett found odd was that Naruto seemed to eat them as if he truly enjoyed them and she wondered if he did so to flatter the gentle giant. Hermione on the other hand, had no issues in voicing her disgust.

"How can you eat them?" Hermione asked as she made a face.

"They're not that bad actually," Naruto said.

Or at least that's what Harriett thought to have interpreted through his mouthful.

"Don't speak with food in your mouth," Hermione chastised. "It's rude!"

"Aye lad, yer in the presence of ladies!" Hagrid added with his own mouthful of stale biscuits.

"Sorry," Naruto managed. "Got anything to wash this down with, Hagrid?"

"I've got more ya can't drink!" Hagrid's laugh reverberated through the small hut. "You sure you lasses don't want any?"

"No thanks, I'm trying to save my appetite for dinner," Harriett lied.

"Ya don't know what yer missing!" Hagrid called from the kitchen area.

Harriett shook her head with a smile and leaned her head on Naruto's shoulder, feeling somewhat tired after having stayed up late the night before, worrying over her friend. She smiled wider feeling him rest his head atop her own.

"How are you liking it here so far?" He asked her in just above a whisper. "I know we really haven't had much time to ourselves lately."

"I think it'll be better when we actually start learning real magic," Harriett said. "But I do want to speak with you in private when we have the chance."

"I'll see what I can figure out. We can't have a repeat of yesterday," Naruto said.

Hagrid came back a moment later with a large mug, spilling some of its contents by accident as he shuffled by them.

"Some water," Hagrid said before taking his seat.

"Thanks," Naruto said as he accepted the mug. "Hey Hagrid, you wouldn't happen to know of somewhere here in Hogwarts where we could get some privacy?"

"Yer looking fer privacy, eh?" Hagrid said, leaning back in his creaky chair with something of a skeptical look on his face. "What fer?"

"Ya'know, we need a place to practice magic," Naruto said.

"You know," Hermione corrected.

"You're not taking that one from me," Naruto shot back, reaching over to poke her nose.

"Practicing magic ya say?" Hagrid muttered pensively as he raked his large beard. "Yer not really supposed to do tha' unless under a Professor's supervision, ya'know."

Naruto smirked in Hermione's direction, who in turn, crossed her arms and looked away with a huff.

"We just want to practice magic in peace," Harriett added. "Also maybe have some time alone and away from others, especially Naruto's nasty Housemates."

"Tough break, tha'," Hagrid muttered, inclining his head in Naruto's direction. "They ain't been givin' ya any trouble, 'ave they?"

"Not too much. Draco Malfoy and his friends are annoying, and Snape's been giving Harriett a hard time," Naruto finished with a frown. "Do you know what that guy's problem is?"

"Tha's just how 'e is," Hagrid dismissed. "I wouldn't dwell on it too much now. And if privacy is what yer lookin' fer, well, give me some time. I might be able to arrange somethin'. After all, not many know these grounds like I do!"

"Thank you, Hagrid," Harriett said.

Shortly after that, and a myriad of questions from Hermione which Hagrid struggled to answer, they parted ways with the man before making their way to the Great Hall for a proper dinner.

After their meal, Hermione went on her own way in search of the library she'd been aching to find. Of course, she had invited Naruto along and he almost agreed until she reminded him of their much needed talk.

Naruto, being who he was, agreed to join Hermione the next day.

"It's getting late but I think we should be able to talk in the courtyard," Naruto said.

"At least we don't have Hermione following us anymore," Harriett said with a roll of her eyes. "She's much too nosy for her own good."

"She's not that bad," Naruto said, looking at her with an expression she couldn't quite place. "Can't you give her a chance?"

"A chance for what?" Harriett asked, beginning to grow a bit miffed. "She's been nothing but a nuisance to us. In fact, if it weren't for her, you wouldn't have had to use your technique."

"Well, that was kinda - I mean, kind of my fault," Naruto said.

"See, she even has you speaking differently!" Harriett claimed. "I don't care how you talk!"

"Harriett," Naruto sighed and grabbed a hold of her hand, leading her to a stone bench at the far-right corner of the open-air courtyard. "What's bothering you?"

"What do you mean?" Harriett asked.

"Why are you being so rude to Hermione?" Naruto clarified.

"I'm not being rude!" Harriett said, her words sounding far angrier than she'd intended. "I just don't like how pushy she is. If anything, she's the one being rude."

She didn't like the clear disappointment Naruto was displaying.

It hurt.

"That's just how she is," Naruto said, offering her a smile. "Just like how I am, and you are who you are. I wouldn't change anything about you, would you change anything about me?"

Harriett didn't have an immediate response to that because she couldn't think of one thing she would change about her friend. Sure, he could be brash at times and was quick to anger, but it was usually in her defense. He could also be described as kind and caring, though those traits were usually reserved for her and her alone.

At least until recently.

If there was one thing among many Harriett liked about Naruto, it was that he didn't seem to concede to anyone or anything he found unjust or against his beliefs. That was until Hermione forcefully imposed herself into their lives.

Granted, it had only been two days, but Harriett couldn't help but think the girl was going to be a constant with how she followed Naruto like a lost puppy, changing how he spoke and now, making him argue with her. Worse of all, Naruto didn't seem to take notice of this, or even care.

"I really wish you wouldn't let her tell you what to do," Harriett muttered. "It seems like you'd do anything she'd tell you to. You even wanted to tell her you were a Shinobi!"

"That's not true," Naruto denied. "I'm just trying to be nice to her. And I wasn't going to tell her everything."

"Why?" Harriett challenged.

"Why what?" Naruto asked.

"Why are you trying to be nice to her?" Harriett asked.

"Why not?" Naruto immediately responded. "Seriously, Harriett, why are you acting like this?"

"Acting like what?" Harriett almost found herself shouting, feeling emotion burn her eyes at his accusation. She pulled her hand from his and frowned at him. "What exactly am I doing so wrong?"

"I'm not – I didn't mean it like that," Naruto said, taking a hold of her hand again. "I'm just trying to understand why you don't like Hermione?"

"Why should I?" Harriett asked as she took back her hand. "Why are you forcing me to be her friend?"

"No Harriett," Naruto placed himself in her personal space and pulled her into a hug.

Harriett briefly tried to resist him, but found herself unable to move him. He was soft and warm, yet firm and unrelenting, and truthfully, a part of her never really tried sot push him away.

"We're not fighting ever again," Naruto said, speaking lowly and into her hair. "I'm sorry if I did something you didn't like. And if you don't want to be friends with Hermione, I won't make you. You never have to do anything you don't want to, even if I ask you to or if you think it's for me."

"I don't want anyone to take you away from me," Harriett admitted with burning eyes shut as she hugged him. "You're my friend."

That's when she finally realized why she didn't Like Hermione. Naruto was her first, best, and only friend. The idea of someone else taking her place, taking him away, absolutely mortified her.

"Harriett, you'll always be my best friend," Naruto began slowly and comfortingly. "Nothing and no one will ever change that. I promised to be with you forever, remember?"

"Then promise me you won't be her friend," Harriett said, feeling unsure of herself as she spoke but it was too late to take back her words. "I want you to promise me you won't talk to her anymore."

Harriett felt Naruto stiffen and she took that moment to pull herself from his grasp.

"Harriett," He muttered uncertainly.

She didn't like that.

Not one bit.

His hesitation was proof that Hermione already had influence over him.

"Promise me," Harriett demanded.

"I won't talk to her anymore," Naruto finally relented.

But that wasn't what she was asking for.

"Promise me," Harriett demanded once more. "Prove to me that you're my best friend and do this for me."

Harriett wasn't sure why she was behaving in the way she was. Her words weighed heavily on her tongue and heart as she spoke them, but there was another part of her that would not risk compromising their friendship. She was not willing to risk someone else taking Naruto from her.

"I promise," Naruto said, his eyes falling to the grass of the field.

It was what she wanted, but Harriett found no relief in his words. In fact, it felt as though she had just made a grave mistake, but there was no turning back.

"Thank you," Harriett said, hugging him.

"Did you write your letter yet?" Naruto asked following a long moment of silence. "I wrote mine last night and I'd like to send it to the old man before he and Janice start to get worried."

"No but I'll make sure to do it tonight. I just don't know what to say," Harriett said.

"Just tell them everything's fine," Naruto said, pulling away to stand. "Anyway, I think we should go to bed soon. It's getting late."

After bidding each other a good night, Harriett made her way to the Hogwarts common rooms with heavy feet. She couldn't shake the feeling that she'd done something horribly wrong but her choice had been made.

Unfortunately, she found Hermione in their room with a stack of books on her desk. Her eyes seemed to light up as she smiled at her from above the book in her lap.

"I found so many interesting books! Shame the library closes at six, oh but there's always tomorrow! I can't wait to show Naruto everything I've found!" Hermione exclaimed.

Harriett said nothing as she sat herself on her bed. Whereas before she would feel annoyed at Hermione's inclusion of Naruto in anything related to her; now her belly fluttered with apprehension.

"You'll be joining us tomorrow, right?" Hermione asked, her smile still in place of her usual haughty scowl. "I'm positive we'll find something to interest you!"

"I...I'll think about it," Harriett said after a long moment's consideration. She rolled into her bed and drew the curtains around her.

For a few passing moments, all was silent.

"Hey Harriett," Hermione's tepid voice came from just beyond her curtains.

"Yes?" Harriett answered.

"Harriett?" Hermione said again.

"Yes?" Harriett repeated louder, with some of her previous annoyance returning.

"It's okay, you don't have to answer," Hermione said, sounding melancholy. "I know you don't really think much of me."

"What are you – " That's when Harriett remembered Naruto's silencing seals. Hermione couldn't hear her speak.

"I just wanted to thank you for putting up with me today," Hermione said.

Without the aid of the silencing seals, Harriett found herself without words.

"I know I can be...a bit much at times, and that you don't really like me, but that's okay. I'm used to it. I just wanted to thank you for allowing me to come with you and Naruto today to meet Hagrid. He really was nice, if a bit illiterate," Hermione finished with what was clearly a smile lacing her words.

Harriett felt hot tears coming to her eyes at the audible sadness in the girl's words; a loneliness she was all too familiar with.

"Well, I'll leave you alone now. I just wanted to say thank you again, for putting up with me. I know Naruto's your friend, but I'm hoping maybe I could be his friend too. And m-maybe yours as well?" Hermione sounded meek and oh so vulnerable. "If you want, that is! Well, goodnight, Harriett."

Harriett listened to her retreating footsteps bound away, leaving the dorms, and felt the full weight of her guilt constricting her chest. As a result of her selfishness, she'd gone and hurt two innocent people, one of which she cared for dearly.

"Goodnight, Hermione."

* * *

 **So I don't really have an excuse that I haven't spouted before. Writer's block and life can really get in the way of things, but I'm not going to sit here and cry about this and that like some people.**

 **What I do want to do is thank everyone who's reviewed the last chapter. The support was overwhelming and I can't thank you guys enough for it. It's what kept me writing, at least a few hundred words when I had the time, and even when I didn't feel like it.**

 **Also, I wanted to ask for name suggestions for Naruto's cat because I honestly can't think of a good one. Feel free to leave any suggestions along with a review or as a pm.**

 **Finally, as you've probably noticed, this story is going to be long. I think it should be nearing 100k words after this chapter and we've only just gotten to Hogwarts. That said, I'm going to set up a poll on whether I should start a new story for every book, or simply add to this story until everything's said and done.**

 **With that, until next time, hopefully much sooner, and thank you all again!**


	9. Chapter 9

Naruto woke up feeling angry and in a moment of odd clarity, he realized it had been some time since he'd come to wake in such a state. In the past, he would wake up angry for having gone to sleep hungry. Feelings of resentment for the way he was treated carried over from his lonely nights, and into his isolated mornings.

Guilt and anger were terrible feelings on their own; combined and they ate away at his mindset. Naruto didn't want to be angry at his best friend, or experience guilt for feeling such a way in the first place, but they were feelings he couldn't quash.

Harriett used the weight of his word against him and though Naruto knew she didn't intentionally do so, her base motives were not aligned with what he envisioned of his friend. Her jealousy and concern, while understandable, were baseless and would only prove to hurt someone in a similar situation as both of them.

But he couldn't save everyone.

There was an optimist still dwelling deep somewhere within him. Denying it was becoming harder as Naruto found more reasons to smile. It was a mindset given life by the very girl who was now flaming his pessimistic reasoning, reminding him that despite being the purest soul he had ever met, she was not perfect.

No one was.

Naruto would be the first to admit that he was possibly the furthest from perfection and the previous couple of days were proof if ever he needed it. With that in mind, he could never hold Harriett's actions against her. In fact, he was almost certain he would behave in a similar fashion, if not the exact same way, should their roles be reversed.

He only felt contrite towards Hermione, as his rejection would no doubt hurt the girl.

Perhaps, it would be better for everyone in the end, Naruto tried to justify. With Hermione at a distance, he would have less to answer for, because the girl was ever inquisitive.

If it would have done any good, Naruto would have slapped himself for how close he came to revealing to Hermione his status as a Shinobi. Harriett had been correct in that regard. His bleeding heart could be detrimental, Jiraiya had warned him of this and until recently, he simply disregarded the notion as callous and apathetic.

Now he was beginning to believe it was truly for the best.

Naruto only dreaded how he could go about distancing himself from Hermione without outright hurting her. Rejection being another feeling he was all too familiar with and it was one he was hoping futilely to spare her from.

Without ever finding an optimal way to turn Hermione away, Naruto rolled out of bed, finding two of his dormmates chatting amongst themselves. They paused their conversation to look at him, glare, in the case of one of the boys.

Naruto was feeling even less patient to their intolerance that morning.

"You leave me alone and I'll do the same," he said in a tone altered by both his anger, and a fasted throat.

One of the boy's, who was just beneath him in height, had dark skin, brown eyes, and short curly black hair. The other was a pale boy with short combed hair and matching colored eyes.

"If you think for one moment that – "

"Fine," the boy with dark skin interrupted the other. He silenced the other boy's brewing protest with a warning look. With a huff, he seemed to relent.

"Naruto Uzumaki," He introduced himself plainly, meeting eyes with the seemingly more reasonable of the two.

"Arnold Shafiq," the boy replied evenly.

"And I'm Bradly Travers, and I do hope you'll remember your place," the other boy sneered.

Naruto ignored him and nodded at Arnold, who returned the gesture, before reaching for his slumbering kitten, placing her gently onto his bare shoulder. She instinctively wrapped herself around his neck and held on in her continued slumber as he gathered his robes for the day.

Once dressed Naruto made his way through the common room, finding it semi-occupied. It appeared as though he'd awoken later than he was accustomed to, but then again, he had stayed up late the night before, pondering on the ever-growing complexity of his life in Hogwarts.

Naruto found Daphne among a group of chatting girls seated in a collection of sofas stationed in a semi-circle. She didn't appear to be a part of their conversation as she had her arms crossed with an overall annoyed expression on her face.

He approached the group of girls and they all became silent, all staring at him, including Daphne.

"What do you want?" Daphne asked, drawing all eyes to her in the process.

I need to ask you something," Naruto said.

"No," Daphne dismissed, turning her attention elsewhere.

"Come on," Naruto said, taking a hold of her arm he pulled her up and along.

"Hey, let go of me you brute!" Daphne exclaimed, slapping at his arm.

Naruto pulled her to a more isolated corner and finally released her.

"What do you know about the Trace?" He asked.

"You're an animal!" Daphne snapped.

"Yeah, yeah, sorry and good morning, but what do you know about the Trace?" Naruto repeated. "I know it's supposed to detect magical use outside of Hogwarts by students, but what about inside the school?"

"Not that I'm aware of, no," Daphne said, glancing about the room. "And do you have to talk to me so publicly?"

"We made a deal," Naruto reminded her. "When did they put a Trace on us?"

"No one really knows, but my mother believes it happens when you first board the Hogwarts Express," Daphne said. "And our deal doesn't mean you can manhandle me like that, you absolute brute!"

"I'm sorry," Naruto apologized again, truly meaning it. "I just needed to know."

"Scared someone would discover your little look alike trick?" Daphne asked with a smirk.

Naruto's blood ran cold.

"W-What did you just say?" Naruto asked in just above a whisper.

"I've been watching you, remember?" Daphne said, lowering her own voice and subtly leaning her head closer to his. "I saw your little trick yesterday, the one you used whilst you snuck those two girls out of your dorm, you perverted beast."

"That..." Naruto trailed, not knowing what to say.

"Rest assured that I'll not say anything, so long as you remember what we agreed upon," Daphne said.

"My magic, is that why you think I can help you?" Naruto asked.

He knew he couldn't threaten Daphne for her silence and neither was he willing to take more drastic measures at that time. That only left going along with whatever she had in mind; at least until he could feasibly fabricate a lie to disprove her own truth. Or until enough time passed to where it no longer mattered.

"Among other reasons, yes," Daphne said, looking away.

"Why didn't you say anything yesterday?" Naruto asked. "If you knew, why didn't you just threaten me with this?"

"Contingencies," Daphne said with a single dimpled smirk.

She was far smarter and more conniving than Naruto gave her credit for and that was yet another of his mistakes. He would take advantage of their agreement, but he would also have to keep a cautious eye on Daphne as she was proving herself to be far more than the capricious brat he initially dismissed her as.

All that aside, Naruto hated being orchestrated.

"Well played, princess," Naruto said with his own smile. He placed his hand just above her shoulder, closing the distance until all he could see was her eyes. "Just remember, Harriett stays out of this no matter what."

"That's enough of this princess nonsense," Daphne said, shirking out of their close proximity with flaming cheeks. "You'll refer to me properly and with respect going forward, all while keeping your distance. The last thing I need is to be seen associating myself with the likes of you."

"Fine with me," Naruto agreed, leaving it at that for the time being.

He had other things to worry about.

Naruto found himself in the Great Hall again and though as usual, the morning spread smelled delicious; yet he had no appetite that morning. His interaction with Daphne left a bitter taste in his mouth and all the more frustrated.

"Over here!"

He froze in place, turning reluctantly towards the familiar voice to find the very reason behind his apprehension. Hermione Granger was waving him over while Neville, seated beside her, waved meekly as well.

Naruto released an elongated sigh.

He knew he couldn't avoid what was to come next and that's why he chose to attend breakfast, even though he wasn't at all hungry. To make matters much worse, Hermione seemed to be in high spirits, smiling brightly as she continued to wave him over.

Dreading what was to come, Naruto reluctantly trudged over to where they were seated and took his place two seats beside Neville and one across and over from Hermione. Any remaining courage he thought to have had abandoned him as he could not even bring himself to meet her eyes.

"Good morning, Naruto," Hermione greeted chipperly.

Naruto said nothing as he reached for a bowl of oats. He decided he would take the cowards approach in distancing himself from her in hopes she would get the message he was too shameful to voice. His strategy amounted to nothing more than behaving crass with her in hopes she would get the message he was too shameful to voice.

"G-Good morning, N-Na-ru-to," Neville added his own greeting.

Naruto decided to ignore him too.

"I found several amazing books last night," Hermione announced excitedly.

Again, Naruto said nothing and she was making it really hard for him to continue with his ruse.

"Many of the actual spell books are off limits to us first years," Hermione said, slowly and with some confusion coming to her words. "But there is still plenty interesting to read! I was wondering if we were still on to go this evening?"

"No," Naruto answered simply.

"Oh," Hermione muttered, her confusion turning into sadness. "Then perhaps tomorrow?"

"No," Naruto repeated, turning his head further.

Hermione was quiet for some time and for a while, all that was heard was the distant chatter coalesced into unintelligible talk. The lapse in conversation only proved to further aggravate Naruto at no one else but himself for having fallen prey to his own weakness.

"Did... did I do something wrong?" She finally asked, her voice coming out tepid and low. "Yesterday you said – "

"Would you shut up already?" Naruto snapped. "Just... just leave me alone!"

His words came out much harsher and louder than he could have ever wanted for being lies. Yet they were fueled by his frustration at the situation and his inability to find a guilt-free compromise. But Harriett came first and she always would.

Besides, it was better that way, Naruto reminded himself over and over within his trouble mind as the loud silence persisted.

Hermione shuffled away in his peripherals, leaving with her hands covering her face.

He wanted to believe he didn't hear her sniffle.

"T-That w-wasn't very n-nice," Neville stuttered.

"Fuck off, Neville," Naruto said, covering his own eyes with his hands.

He was so very angry.

 _ **Coward.**_

Naruto tensed at the single word uttered from within the inner most depths of his mind, and the mocking chuckles which followed.

It was the Kyuubi.

Naruto opened his eyes behind his hands and was worried to see a feint red glow illuminating the palms of his hands. Following a few calming breaths and the fluttering of his eyes, he found the glow was gone.

He moved his hand away from his face and found a few of those surrounding him, staring at him, with varying looks of confusion, indignation, and even some concern. Naruto was immediately on his feet and out of the Great Hall with no real destination in mind.

* * *

Harriett realized something was wrong when she entered the Great Hall and neither Naruto, nor Hermione ever arrived. She had overslept slightly because she had stayed up late the previous night, mulling over her selfish decision before finally coming to a reluctant resolution.

She would have to take back her demand of Naruto.

She really should have known better than to ever believe Naruto would so willingly abandon her in the way her worse fears projected. And though she found Hermione grating, the girl had done nothing otherwise to earn her ire.

She was merely a lonely girl looking for a friend, as she had once been.

Harriett found Hermione their first class and immediately knew she was too late to avoid the consequences of her actions. The girl was visibly deflated, never once raising her hand to either answer or inquire. This was truly a concerning sign considering the girl usually spent half of the class with a hand in the air, and the other scribbling away in her notes.

She meant to approach Hermione after class to ask exactly what was bothering her, despite being nearly certain what ailed her, but she was stopped in her tracks by a surprisingly harsh glare from the girl. Harriett expected to feel some offense, perhaps even anger, as a response to the action, but shame was all that she experienced in that moment.

And so came their second class and Harriett found it difficult to focus on Professor Sprout as she spoke animatedly about wormwood and it's many uses. By then, Harriett no longer held any doubts Naruto had spoken with Hermione and the results were making themselves apparent.

Harriett would have almost allowed herself to be content, although not entirely guilt-free, with the outcome of it all, had it not been for the diminished light in Hermione's eyes. She couldn't help but place herself in the girl's position every time she tried to rationalize her own behavior, and she only ended up feeling much worse for it.

If Hermione was reacting in such a manner, she dreaded how Naruto would greet her. Mending her mistakes would not be easy, Harriett realized, but it was something she would have to do.

"Excuse me Neville," Harriet called to the nervous boy just after their dismissal by Professor Sinistra.

"Y-Yes?" Neville answered, casting a nervous glance in the direction Hermione had gone.

"Do you know why Hermione's been behaving so..." Harriett trailed off, finding it hard to find the correct word to describe the girl's current behavior beyond angry and sad. "So different today?"

Surprisingly, Neville seemed to grow angry.

"It was N-Naruto. He was very m-mean to h-her and m-me this morning," Neville said.

"He was mean to you?" Harriett questioned in disbelief.

It made sense for Naruto to behave short with Hermione as she herself had foolishly requested of him, but for him to behave that way against Neville of all people; it didn't make any sense.

"What did he do to you two, if you don't mind me asking?" Harriett inquired, almost fearing the answer.

"H-He told Hermione to leave him alone, and then t-told me to...to..." Neville's chubby cheeks burned a bright red. "I'm a-afraid I can't say it."

"I'm sorry, Neville," Harriett apologized more for herself than her friend. "I'll have a word with him when I can."

Neville said nothing else as he shuffled away, bumping into a crowd of girls on the way out.

For the first time in a long time, Harriett was feeling apprehensive of speaking with Naruto. Only this time, much like the last time, he'd done nothing wrong other than taking her into consideration, and that's what hurt her the most.

Harriett continued to feel worse as the day progressed because the first time she saw her friend, he only offered her a wavering smile and a wave before taking his seat with the Slytherins. Considering it wasn't Potions with Professor Snape, this truly concerned her.

She wanted to believe it was to keep his distance from Hermione, as she requested of him, but her more rational side couldn't help but take notice of Naruto's own downtrodden appearance. This was a harrowing conformation that her selfishness had more than one victim, and hurting him was the last thing Harriett ever wanted to do.

Given the sensitivity of what she had to discuss with him, Harriett decided she would approach him after class. After all, she wasn't going to force him to sit with her, and she didn't feel too inclined to sit with the Slytherins, either.

Ordinarily, Transfigurations, with Professor McGonagall always seemed to drag considering just how technical and notes oriented the Professor was. That morning, time seemed to move exceptionally slow as Harriett nervously anticipated her upcoming talk with Naruto.

After selfishly making him promise to sever his growing ties with Hermione, she was about to retract her words after it was already too late. And so soon, at that. She only hoped he would forgive her.

"Naruto," Harriett took a hold of his hand and all but dragged him out of Professor McGonagall's class, no doubt making something of a scene.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked as he followed her.

"I'm sorry," Harriett immediately apologized.

"Eh, what for?" Naruto asked, appearing truly clueless.

Of course he didn't believe she'd done anything wrong, or to be sorry for. In any other situation, this would warm Harriett's heart and endear her even further to Naruto. And while she still felt for the latter; it also proved to hurt her.

"I should have never made you promise to never speak to Hermione again," Harriett finally said what had been on her mind the moment she uttered those selfish words.

She soon found herself being led by Naruto, through a river of students towards a vacant turret with two large windows overlooking the Hogwarts grounds.

"What are you saying?" Naruto asked in a low tone.

"I was wrong," Harriett said, looking down at her feet. "I should have known better than to ask something so vile of you."

"Do you mean the thing with Hermione?" Naruto tried to clarify.

She still couldn't face him, only nod her head.

"Yes. You can be her friend if you want," Harriett muttered. "I'm sorry for being so selfish."

Still, she felt herself drawn into a warm hug.

"You know I can never be mad at you," Naruto began lowly.

Harriett knew his words were meant to be comforting, and they were, but it also served to make her feel guiltier.

"We've got to get to Potions class soon and I'd rather not be late considering its Snape's class," Naruto said, pulling back to smile at her, the creases around his eyes returning as a sign of genuine emotion. "But I just wanted you to know that."

Harriett felt her own eyes burn and couldn't help but feel so very lucky for having found a friend like Naruto. As reluctant as she still was to share him, she couldn't, with a sound conscious, deny others the same benefit.

"I know, thank you, Naruto," Harriett said.

"Why didn't you just tell me how you were feeling?" Naruto asked as they made their way to Professor Snape's class.

"I don't know," Harriett admitted shamefully.

"In the future, if something's bothering you, just tell me," Naruto said following a sigh. "Again, I'm not mad at you, but I kind of said some hurtful things to Hermione and Neville both."

"I'm sorry," Harriett repeated, not knowing what else to say.

"It's okay, I'm just hoping she'll forgive me," Naruto said.

"Do you...want me to talk to her?" Harriett asked.

"No, this is something I have to fix," Naruto said.

Professor Snape's class went as well as it could have.

Harriett knew she had Naruto's forgiveness, but she couldn't help but feel that she hadn't earned it. In some morbid way, she believed Snape's harassment was a form of penance for her actions. That didn't stop her from continuously wondering exactly why the man had taken such issue with her.

After potions, she followed Naruto as he followed after Hermione. Though no matter how often he called out to her, the girl continued to ignore him. This treatment persisted every time he attempted to speak with her, leading up to dinner.

Naruto had taken a seat next to Hermione, trying and failing to get the girl to acknowledge him until apparently Neville had enough.

"W-Why don't y-you just b-bugger off?" Neville said, failing to sound anything but afraid.

Naruto turned to Neville, who immediately flinched and cowered away. For a moment, Harriett feared for the poor boy's sake.

"I'm sorry, Neville, I really shouldn't have said those things to you," Naruto said, slowly presenting the boy his fist. "Friends?"

"Friends?" Neville muttered with wide eyes which drifted down to the outstretched gesture.

Harriett noted that for the first time, Hermione turned to Naruto with a look of surprised confusion. She caught sight of her own gaze, and her expression fell into a frown.

"Yeah! It's like a handshake, only you make a fist and – "

"Come Neville!" Hermione said, grabbing a hold of the nervous boy's wrist.

"B-But..." Neville tried to speak but Hermione persisted, pulling the flustered boy to his feet.

"We're going to the library," Hermione said.

"Can I come?" Naruto tried hopefully.

"No!" Hermione snapped, finally addressing Naruto. "Now why don't _you_ just leave _me_ alone!"

With that said, Hermione pulled a visibly reluctant Neville along.

"What's her problem?" Ron asked, sounding annoyed but no one answered him.

"I'm sorry, Naruto," Harriett said to her friend, who appeared to deflate.

"Maybe this is for the best," Naruto said following a sigh. "Saves me from having to explain anymore of my slip ups."

Harriett wanted to agree, but she knew it would be wrong. She'd ignored her conscience once in favor of her selfishness and she'd hurt Naruto in the process; a mistake she wasn't willing to repeat.

Yet, she wasn't sure how to remedy the situation.

Naruto was never able to get to through to Hermione. His every attempt was met with contempt, and that was when she ever acknowledged him. After a second day, he relented and decided to give her the space she needed in hopes they would reconnect naturally.

By the time Thursday came around, Harriett felt as though things were beginning to return to a sense of normality. She and Naruto found something of a rhythm by which to maximize their time spent together. They would have breakfast together, sat together in the classes that would allow it, and would roam the sections of the castle available.

Throughout it all, Harriett couldn't shake the feeling of guilt she felt for having caused the rift between Naruto and Hermione, though both appeared to be getting over their trifle in their own ways.

Naruto tried to pretend as though nothing was wrong but she would occasionally catch him staring in Hermione's direction, a look of sadness coming over him. Similarly, the curious girl would also glance in his direction, and though he never seemed to notice, Harriett certainly had.

Harriett wanted to take matters into her own hands and speak with Hermione; to admit she was at fault for the way he behaved. Every time she attempted to do just that, she ended up losing her nerve, further disappointing herself.

As she watched Naruto chatting with Ron and one of his twin brothers, she wasn't quite sure which, Harriett wondered if perhaps her friend was right, and their distance was for the best. It was what she originally wanted, still did, if she was being honest.

Her contemplation was abruptly interrupted by a shadow swooping overhead. It was a worn and old brown barn owl with a small and rounded package in its talons. The owl swooped low, causing more than a few students to duck their heads, before it abruptly dropped its package, smacking Neville right on the side of the head before dropping into his porridge with a wet plop.

Following a brief moment of shared confusion, many students from many different tables erupted in a brief laughter. She heard Ron laughing and turned just in time to see Naruto elbow him with a shake of his head.

Neville turned absolutely red as he dug through his breakfast. Once he finally found the package he unwrapped and his expression completely turned into one of excitement as he turned to Hermione, showing her what appeared to be a glass marble.

"Look, Hermione, it's a Rememberall!" Neville explained eagerly. "My gran says I'm always forgetting things and this tells you if you've forgotten something by turning red when you hold it tight and..."

Neville paused when he opened his hand to reveal the marble was now red.

"Okay, that was kind of funny," Naruto added with a snicker.

Harriett glanced over at her friend with a smile of her own, only to catch sight of Draco approaching, trailed closely by the two large boys from the train, Crabbe and Goyle. He appeared to be focused in on Neville and was moving with purpose and a conniving smirk on his face.

"Hey Malfoy!" Naruto called out, stopping the boy in his tracks, prompting his two friends to crash into him, nearly knocking him over. After shooting them a quick glare, he focused the look on him.

Naruto only shook his head, taking on an expression that Harriett no longer found scary, but recognized to be dangerous for anyone on the receiving end.

The two boys locked eyes, Malfoy's sneer deepening while Naruto maintained his own look of pointed disdain.

"Is there a problem here?" Professor McGonagall asked, seemingly appearing from beyond everyone's notice. Some around focused on the silent confrontation, including Harriett herself, jumped slightly at her appearance.

"Nothing at all," Naruto answered easily, offering the strict Witch a charming smile.

"Mr. Malfoy?" Professor McGonagall asked, turning her inquisition to the other boy.

"Just passing by, Professor," Draco answered with a strained smile of his own. "Come on then," he called to his shadows, prompting them along.

Harriett heard Naruto mutter an obscenity beneath his breath once Professor McGonagall was out of hearing range.

"I agree, Draco is an ass – "

Naruto's hand shot over her mouth with wide eyes.

"Woah, Harriett, don't say that!" He said.

"But you say those kinds of things all the time?" Harriett countered once he removed his hand.

"Well yeah but," Naruto began, palming the back of his head with a nervous smile, "I'm a big dummy, and you're not. You shouldn't talk like that."

Harriett was about to deny his self-classification when she caught sight of a very familiar white owl flying in with a letter. Hedwig dropped the letter mid-flight, and miraculously, Naruto snapped it out of the air without ever having looked away from her.

"Promise me you won't repeat any of the bad words I say," Naruto requested, shaking the letter at her as though he hadn't just caught it without looking.

"Blimey," Ron muttered.

"I p-promise," Harriett agreed, absentmindedly

"Good!" Naruto said with a relieved smile before finally noticing the letter in his hand, his eyes brightening. "Hey, it's from the old man and Janice!"

He presented to her the letter and Harriett was happy to see that it wasn't only addressed to Naruto, but to her as well, from both of the aforementioned adults.

Aside from the acceptance letter from Hogwarts, and some disciplinary letters from her muggle school, Harriett had never received a letter before. She eagerly grabbed the letter from his hand and opened it to find two individual letters. The first was from Janice, and the second from Jiraiya.

"We'll read them later," Naruto said, gently taking the letter from her, placing it within his robes. "Breakfast is almost over."

There was an underlining purpose in the way he spoke and Harriett recalled the reason behind his secrecy. She agreed and they left for classes.

For the first time since their arrival at Hogwarts, and the mess she had a hand in creating, Harriett found herself excited. She wanted to fly on a broom ever since she learned it was possible, which was only a few days prior when she and Naruto had caught sight of a few older students racing across the sky, and she suddenly recalled she had _Flying_ with Madam Hooch, on Thursdays.

While the idea of zipping around on what amounted to little more than a stick was slightly concerning, and something of a cliché, Harriett could not contain her excitement when she discovered they would be actually flying. Naturally, she had questions, and most led back to the apparent main use for broomsticks in the Wizarding World beyond cleaning, and even flying.

Quidditch.

Quidditch, apparently, was a very famous sport in the Wizarding World revolving around flying brooms and scoring points.

The exact details of the game were still muddy to Harriett beyond that. Of course, Ron, whom was very enthusiastic to speak Quidditch, wasn't necessarily the best descriptor of the sport. All she was able to extrapolate from the boy's nonsensical rants were that he couldn't wait to play when it became accessible in their second year, and that he seemed to continuously forget she was not from the Wizarding World.

Neither she nor Naruto could ever get a straight answer from the boy surrounding the specific rules as he was prone to go off on tangents, using terminology neither understood. Given that they wouldn't be playing it for another year yet, they didn't really bother to inquire any further.

Finally, late in the afternoon, Harriett found herself alongside Naruto in a shared class with Slytherin, outside in a very large open field bordered by the Forbidden Forest, looming in the distance.

Whereas Harriett expressed great interest in flying, Naruto seemed to take a concerning interest in the forest, and what he may find within.

"Good morning everyone!" Madam Hooch called out loudly as she bounded across the field in a rushed walk. She was a woman of medium stature with short grey hair and eyes yellow like those of a hawk. "Now everyone, stand by a broom, should be enough for each one of you!"

"This should be interesting," Naruto said from beside her.

Harriett smiled at him and wondered if he was as excited, and nervous, as she. Outwardly, he appeared calm and collected, with his hands interlocked behind his head.

"Stick out your right hand, or whichever happens to be your dominant hand, and say up!" Madam Hooch instructed. "Go on then!"

Harriett looked down to the crooked and thin piece of wood, with what looked like a thin bundle of straw at the base. It didn't even make for a proper cleaning broom and she wondered if that was a good or a bad thing, as well as how such an unassuming object could possibly fly. Then again, magic and sense, she was beginning to understand, were often antonymous.

"Up!" She called and much to her relief and further excitement, the broom shot up and straight into her hand. There was seemingly no weight to it, and when she pushed down, she found it pushed back against her.

"That's amazing, Harriett!" Naruto praised with a proud grin.

Despite being used to his praise, it never failed to make her color.

"Thanks," Harriett muttered.

"Now my turn," Naruto said, extending his own hand above his broom. "Up!" He commanded.

Likewise, his broom shot up and into his grasp immediately.

"You did it!" Harriett cheered.

"I did!" Naruto said with a laugh, and sounding almost as though he wasn't sure he could have.

As it turned out, they were amongst the few who were able to call their brooms on the first hail, at least on the Gryffindor side of students. Most of the Slytherin were already holding their brooms, while some were trying to mount them.

Madam Hooch chastised those few whilst the others struggled to rise their brooms. Somewhat surprisingly, Hermione, who was usually talented in all other subjects, was struggling. Perhaps not as unexpected, Neville also struggled, his voice wavering with every command. He was the last to make his broom rise and when he finally had, it smacked him center on the forehead with a loud crack.

After reigning in a laughing class, Madam Hooch showed them how to properly mount their brooms without rolling off either end. Again, Harriett found it easy to keep her balance alongside Naruto, who idly complained about how uncomfortable it was to sit stationary as they waited for the others to catch up.

Close to half an hour passed before the entirety of the class found their balance and were seated on their brooms, feet on the ground, eagerly anticipating the next step in their lesson.

"Alright class, when I blow my whistle, I need you all to kick off the ground, hard," Madam Hooch instructed. "Keep your hands steady on your brooms. You should feel yourself rising, continue to do so for at least a few feet and then come straight down by angling your broom downward slightly. And remember, whatever you do, remain calm and do not panic."

Neville immediately did just that before Madam Hooch even blew her whistle, kicking off.

"Come back down, boy!" Madam Hooch called out after him.

But he continued to rise.

"Neville!" Hermione called out worriedly.

And rise.

"Shit," Naruto muttered, staring intently at the boy high in the sky.

Harriett continued to look on, mortified as Neville further distanced himself from the ground, visibly panicking and shouting all the while. She felt her heart nearly stop when, in his struggle, the boy leaned too much to one side and fell.

"Damnit, Neville!"

All Harriett saw was a yellow blur shoot past her in her peripherals, coming clear in her vision as she saw Naruto fly towards the falling boy. He caught Neville by the scruff of his robes but the downward momentum caused the broom to suddenly nosedive.

"Naruto!" Harriett called out, just as Hermione did, but she hardly noticed as they quickly approached the ground.

Naruto's face strained as he tossed the boy into the air, jumping from the broom mere moments before it crashed into the ground, burying itself in the dirt. Meanwhile he caught Neville in the air, who was shrieking all the while with eyes firmly shut, and hit the ground in a crouch, and at an angle. His feet dug grooves into the grass, tearing ground apart as he slid for a few feet before finally coming to a stop.

For a moment, all was quiet, save for the ever-screaming Neville.

That was until Madam Hooch blew her whistle, for reasons known only to her, and ran towards the two boys in a near sprint.

"Mr. Longbottom, Mr. Uzumaki! Are you two well?" She asked as she reached them.

"Er, yeah, just," Naruto tried to speak as he stood, but Neville, who's eyes remained closed, continued to shout, stopping only to take in a hiccupping breath. "Oi, Neville, you're fine now," he said, setting the boy down.

Neville's panic persisted despite being on his own two feet, and he continued to shout.

"Incredible," Madam Hooch praised, still in something of a shocked trance. "But how? Have you flown before?"

"Not really, It just kind of happened, I guess?" Naruto said sheepishly. "Lost it towards the end there, though."

His words were understating how close he was to being hurt, and that was all Harriett could think of as she ran to him, all but slamming herself into him with a hug.

"Woah, Harriett, I'm okay," Naruto said, returning the gesture.

"Don't do that again," Harriett muttered.

"I couldn't just let Neville fall," Naruto said, also speaking lowly.

"I know...just be careful from now on, please," Harriett requested, pulling back and felt herself warm realizing everyone was looking at them.

Madam Hooch's hawk like eyes focused on Naruto, silently scrutinizing him before breaking out into a smile.

"A most impressive feat nevertheless," Madam Hooch began, raising her hand. "Ten points to Slytherin, for Mr. Uzumaki's outstanding bravery!"

Following the declaration, cheers erupted among the Gryffindor's, and to Harriett's confused indignation, some Slytherin girls as well.

The short celebration was interrupted when they all heard a thump.

All turned to see Neville face down on the ground, unconscious.

* * *

"He was fine when I set him down!" Naruto proclaimed, pointing at Neville. "You all saw, right?"

"I believe his fear may have finally caught up to him," Madam Hooch said with a shake of her head. "I suppose it'd be best to take him to Madam Pomfrey. I just don't know how I'll do it, being so plump and all. I suppose I could use..." she trailed off with a hum.

"I can help," Naruto said as he moved away from Harriett to kneel next to Neville, picking him up, and shouldering him.

"Quite an able young man, aren't you?" Madam Hooch commented with a smile.

"My old – erm, my father's a farmer and I help him out when I can," Naruto explained briefly.

"Interesting," Madam Hooch said.

He was grateful that for whatever reason, Madam Hooch didn't seem to ask him anymore questions. They only chatted idly of his time in Hogwarts as a Muggleborn and despite her hardened outward appearance, she seemed nice.

After leaving Neville with a stern-faced but equally kind Witch named Madam Pomfrey, they returned to the field to find Harriett gone.

Ron informed him that after they had left, Malfoy had taken Nevill's Rememberall, and Harriett had taken to the sky after him. After a short but amazing chase, Professor McGonagall caught her flying and took her away.

Naruto was well aware of what he had to lose, but Draco was making it incredibly difficult not to want to hurt him.

"I'm going to kick his ass," Naruto muttered to himself.

"No you're not," Daphne said from his side. "As much as I hate the twit, the Malfoy's are not a family you want to cross."

Given all that had occurred, Madam Hooch had deducted five points from Slytherin for Draco's behavior and dismissed the class early. Daphne had immediately joined him in his search for Harriett, completely uninvited and unprompted.

Naruto glanced at the girl.

"Did you want something?" He asked.

"I want to know how you were able to save that boy," Daphne said. "And don't you dare say magic! That fall would have, no, should have broken your legs at the very least! Not to mention how you just tossed him as though he weighed nothing. There's no way your human!"

"You're right, I'm not human," Naruto said, stopping to stare into the girl's icy blues for a passing moment. He leaned forward, cupping one side of his face as though he was about to reveal his biggest secret to the girl. Daphne looked around before also leaning forward. "I'm a Wizard, too," he finished in a whisper, and with a smirk.

Daphne's frown became more defined and Naruto found the expression oddly cute. It was obviously not what she wanted to hear.

"Don't be stupid!" She snapped. "I know your hiding something, and I'll find out what that is, one way or another."

"Is that another way of saying you're going to keep watching me," Naruto tried to deflect, inwardly concerned about how perceptive Daphne was proving to be.

"W-What?" Daphne stuttered. "Of course not, y-you dolt! There's simply no way you're that strong!"

"Well believe it or not, I am just that strong," Naruto lied easily. "Now if that's all, I'm going to go look for my friend."

He searched the castle fruitlessly for hours until he found her in the only place she could be given the time; dinner in the Great Hall.

Throughout his frantic search, Naruto was given ample time to ponder on everything he wanted to say to Harriett concerning her recklessness. He wanted her to reflect on just how dangerous her actions were and how she should refrain from needlessly placing herself in such situations.

As he did so, it was hard to ignore the hypocrisy in his thoughts, but Naruto justified his past actions with the fact he was a Shinobi. Albeit far from the best and until recently, incompetently trained, but a Shinobi nonetheless.

If he would have fallen during his rescue of Neville, he likely would have lived. He'd been through worse, and to Daphne's earlier point, he was something more than human. Harriett wasn't, Witch or not, she was just an eleven-year-old girl.

The thought of losing her put him in a state of worried stress. However, any steam and the words Naruto had prepared were lost the moment he finally saw her.

Harriett was crowded by a group of Gryffindor, which was a given, but they all seemed to be struggling to talk over one another, trying to talk to her. For a moment, Naruto believed they may have been bothering her for the usual reason; for being the Girl Who Lived. That notion was dismissed seeing her face.

In place of the nervous apprehension Harriett would display when reminded of her unwanted moniker, she appeared to be beaming as she conversed with, among those he recognized, Ron and his twin brothers. Whatever it was they were talking about seemed to have everyone excited.

No longer feeling angry or anything of the sort, Naruto made for his own House Table. He would still have a talk with her to find out exactly what had happened, and if she'd gotten in trouble, though he sincerely doubted so with how happy she appeared.

More than anything, Naruto wanted Harriett to make more friends with those in her House.

"Naruto!"

Or he could talk to her now.

Harriett rushed towards him with an even brighter smile than before and he caught her, dampening her momentum with a single spin.

"I'm on the Gryffindor Quidditch team!" Harriett exclaimed.

"Eh?"

"My dad played Quidditch and now so will I!" Harriett continued in something of a rush.

Naruto found her eyes were wide and sparkling with emotion. She was too happy and he couldn't bring himself to chastise her in the way his anger addled mind conjured. Instead, he wrapped her up in a relieved hug, simply content Harriett was well and in high spirits.

After hearing a recounting of the story from Harriett herself, they had a quick dinner and rushed back to the outside courtyard to read the letter they received from Jiraiya and Janice.

Inside the envelope were two letters, each held shut by a thin and vibrant red string, along with two pieces of toffee strips, a candy Janice was particularly fond of. One letter was from Jiraiya, while the other was from the aforementioned; however, both were addressed to the two of them.

"I guess we can start with Janice's first," Naruto said, handing Harriett the letter, clearly remembering how excited the girl seemed at the prospect of mail addressed to her. He found the notion both cute and disheartening, as well as yet another reminder of the damage the Dursley's had done to her.

Harriett quickly untied the loose knot keeping Janice's letter shut and opened it. Once she did open it, her eyes began darting back and forth, silently reading to herself.

"You mind reading that out loud, I'd also like to hear what Janice has to say as long as it isn't anything too personal," Naruto said.

"Oh, of course, sorry," Harriett apologized sheepishly.

Naruto only offered her a smile in return.

* * *

 _Dear, Naruto and Harriett, I do hope this letter finds you well. I've heard of pigeon carriers before, but never owl carriers!_

 _With that out of the way, I should begin by saying that I hope you two are doing well in your new school. Jiraiya, Rupert, and I miss you very dearly. This old farm isn't quite the same without you two and I eagerly anticipate the holidays so that I may see you both again. Harriett dear, I do hope you plan on visiting!_

 _With that said, please take care of one another. Naruto, you continue to protect that girl in the way I know you will, and Harriett, I would also like it if you would look after Naruto, as we both know how he can be. He means well but he really is much like his father in that his heart rests on his sleeve. Now, I eagerly anticipate a response with how everything is going so until then, take care!_

 _With love, Janice Thatcher._

* * *

Harriett finished reading with a sniffle and watery eyes. Naruto was momentarily worried until she moved to wipe her eyes on her sleeve, revealing a wide smile.

"Mrs. Janice wants me to look after you," Harriett said, giggling slightly.

Naruto was chuckling along as he threw an arm over her shoulder and brought her into a hug.

"Then I'll be in your care," He said, resting his head against Harriett's as he opened the other letter with one hand and positioned it close so that they could both see it.

* * *

 _Hey brat, you left your boots near our door and I nearly tripped. Also, you'd better not have gotten yourself in trouble already, but knowing you, I hope it's not too much trouble._

 _Harriett, dear, I hope you're doing well and that Naruto isn't giving you too much trouble, we both know how much of a miscreant he can be. Don't be afraid to give him a good whack or two with a rolled up newspaper, or even a shoe, if he steps out of line. He can take it!_

 _Naruto, you'd better not let anything happen to that girl or I'll personally kick your butt – Janice wouldn't let me write the alternative._

 _But in all seriousness, I hope you two are doing well and I can't wait to hear from you again. Janice managed to fit in some candy for you two. I would have too but I didn't know what else I could fit in this letter and still manage to seal it._

 _From the bottom of my heart, I want you two to stay safe and look after each other. Hope to hear from you soon!_

 _The Great Jiraiya_

* * *

"From the bottom of my heart?" Naruto repeated with narrowed eyes at his godfather's way of describing him. That aside, he felt as though there had to be a reason for his writing in such a way beyond knowing that both Harriett, and likely Janice, were going to read the letter.

Jiraiya said they should avoid speaking in specifics regarding any of their abilities in the event their letter was somehow intercepted. He wrote his own letter with this in mind and made sure to proof read Harriett's own as well.

Naruto skimmed through the letter a few more times over before a thought occurred to him. Channeling a minute amount of chakra into the paper revealed the black ink of a seal he recognized could only be discovered by certain signatures.

His godfather had taken a sample of his chakra for that very reason before leaving for Hogwarts and with everything that had happened, Naruto had all but forgotten.

"It's one of your seals!" Harriett said in a hushed whisper as she gently thumbed over the intricate design.

"I'm guessing that's what he meant when he said, 'from the bottom of my heart'. He never talks like that," Naruto said. "But I'm going to wait until I get back to my room. There's no telling what the old man has in here. For now, it's been a long day. Assuming Hogwarts is anything like most schools, we should have the weekend to ourselves. We can go do more exploring tomorrow, maybe visit Hagrid again."

"It has been a long day," Harriett said following a yawn. "You'll tell me what's in the letter, won't you?"

"You know it," Naruto said.

Harriett leaned in closer against him with her eyes closed and for a moment, Naruto thought he may have to carry her to bed.

"Naruto," her voice sounded so low and timid.

"Yeah?" Naruto acknowledged, curiously.

"I really am sorry for what I did, you know, with Hermione. I know you say it's okay, but I know it's not," Harriett said, moving to hide her face in his shoulder. "Sorry."

"We all make mistakes," Naruto began, holding his friend tighter. "As I'm sure you've noticed, I've already made plenty. We can only hope we learn from them, and that Hermione gets over it. And if nothing else, we'll always have each other. I really did mean it when I said you're the only friend I'd ever need. So please stop worrying about it."

"Thank you, Naruto," Harriett muttered into his robes after a moment of silence.

Naruto knew she was crying softly so he held onto his friend under the fading light of the setting sun. Once she got it all out, they parted ways for their respective Houses.

* * *

 **Sorry for the much shorter chapter and the wait. These past two months have been tumultuous to say the least, but hey, I'm still here. Also, I think this is a decent stopping point because next chapter, we're going to be moving things along to the events of Halloween.**

 **Thanks again to all those who reviewed the previous chapter, and to those who continue to follow. I'll try my best not to take so long this time.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Merry Christmas.**

* * *

Naruto sat crossed legged in his bed with the curtains fully drawn. His kitten was resting comfortably in the space between his legs, in his lap. Sitting across from him was a clone, looking bored as he held his wand in hand, casting a continuous _Lumos_ charm for light in place of the unsound Rasengan.

"Could you hurry up? I want to go see the forest already," his clone muttered.

"Just need to make sure I don't get caught," Naruto said as he put on a face mask similar to that of Kakashi's. He was dressed in all black clothing; the same Anbu would use during spy or infiltration missions. This consisted of a black flack jacket above a steel mesh shirt, tight black pants, and a pair of comfortable sandals.

Above all of that, he donned a full body cloak with the hood pulled over his head to conceal his very distinctive hair.

He'd gotten used to wearing Hogwarts robes, but he truly felt at home in his current attire.

"Ya'know, if you'd stop being shit at chakra control, we could've used the old pervert's Transparency Jutsu," the clone pointed out.

"Hey," Naruto began, placing a hand on his clone's shoulder. His copy was right to be nervous because he formed a Rasengan using that same hand, dispelling him. He ignored the memory of essentially killing himself with his own favored technique and quickly caught his wand in hand. He immediately resumed the flow of chakra, resulting in only a minimal flicker before the light resumed. "Shut up."

Unlike kunai, shuriken, and other such weaponry, his wand could not be duplicated when he cloned himself. Naruto found it curious but not concerning. Wands were special pieces of equipment; essential tools for a Wizard and Witch. Far more than simple steel, it stood to reason such a magical item could not be influenced by his chakra.

A distinction he'd yet to make.

Whatever the case, in three months since arriving at Hogwarts, Naruto felt as though he learned much of magic, and not enough about it. Wands were conduits of sorts, not the main source of a Wizard's magic. He likened them to hand signs in their ability to control and amplify one's chakra, or magic, to cast a jutsu.

Naruto was almost certain that his chakra had to have been the Wizarding World's definition of magic. At least, it was what made the most sense to him given that he could feel his wand draw on his reserves every time he casted a spell. From there, and depending on the spell, the amount of chakra he pushed through his wand would amplify the power of the spell.

That was, of course, according to his limited experience thus far. Beyond very base levitation, transfiguration, and charms, he knew very little spells. Spells such as _Lumos_ , required the incantation and concentration to cast, then chakra flow to maintain. Pushing chakra into his wand before casting, he quickly learned, would result in explosive consequences.

This was quite literally in the case of the _Lumos_ spell, as when he learned it in Professor Filius Flitwick's Charms class, resulted in the momentary blinding of the Slytherin who sat around him, as well as the slight scorching of his own hair. His Housemates weren't happy with him after that one.

After some trails and plenty of errors, Naruto finally came to this conclusion. From then on, learning spells came rather easily to him. Some more so than others, and there weren't many, but he was happy with his progress when it came to the Wizarding arts.

His Shinobi skills, on the other hand, he felt were still severely lacking and even slipping.

He'd lost his head too many times, and his temper was beginning to rear its ugly head into his day to day. Granted, it wasn't as if though it was entirely unprovoked. After all, he was still in the snake's den that was Slytherin. After asking around, he learned that asking to leave one's home was tantamount to high treason.

Unfortunately, that meant he was stuck in a home filled with elitist, and sometimes downright racist House mates. Their hatred of him and other Mud-bloods was concerningly real. While not all of the younger or older Slytherin held such a view, they were the unfortunate minority. Those who exercised prejudice were vehement in their beliefs and dangerously so.

Naruto encountered many instances of dangerous and hateful bullying from the Slytherins, enacted on those they deemed impure from the other Houses. He was lucky enough to avoid most of the more physical aspects of their wrath in parts because of his own anger projecting a shield around him, but he knew it was only a matter of time before someone acted against him.

For as renowned as his best friend was, he didn't doubt the Slytherins would hurt her to get to him. Or simply hurt her purely out of their own violation, as sentiments of the Girl Who Lived were not very high in the snake's den because of her association with those they considered impure.

There was only so much he could do in the confines of his bed to train in the Shinobi arts. At least not in the way he so foolishly focused on for far too long.

While Ninjutsu was certainly important for a well-rounded Shinobi, most battles began and ended with fists and steel. All the Jutsu variety he had envied Sasuke for was certainly not wasted effort, but some of those very techniques were better equipped for large scale, or open combat.

If he perceived a threat to his cover, or more importantly, Harriett, Naruto was resolute in quashing that threat. He preferred to do so in a peaceful way, but she was too important for such noble restrictions.

Now more than ever, Naruto was ready to fully embrace what it meant to be a Shinobi, knowing that could mean killing in the name of what he held dear.

But to do so, he would have to continue his training in any way he could.

Naruto quietly made his way out of his shared room. By his estimation, it was sometime past midnight and he really needed a watch. He encountered a few older Slytherin in the common rooms, chatting about girls and quidditch. To bypass them he took to the walls, crawling slowly and just out of their line of sight until he reached the space above the door.

Having anticipated such a predicament, he had filled his pockets with a few pebbles. Naruto cast one down the hall and listened as it clanked and pattered across the stone floor.

The Slytherins, three boys, paused their conversation to look in the direction of the sound, but quickly dismissed it. Naruto tossed another stone in the same direction. They seemed to find the noise odd, but were otherwise uncaring.

Naruto rolled his eyes before palming two stones, flicking one at the head of the dumbest looking boy, and the other towards the boy's dorm in quick succession.

"Why you little!" The boy shouted as he and the other two rushed towards the hall.

Keeping his chuckle suppressed, he landed in a crouch and quickly made it through the winding halls, many of which he was readily familiarizing himself with.

The chill of the early October night air felt exhilarating as Naruto ran, truly ran, darting in between shadows and beneath windows. He cut across the large field used for flying practice, staying low but running fast until he broke into the forest.

Naruto came to a stop almost immediately, feeling on edge and in danger the moment he entered the forest. His instincts were on full alert, feeling as though he was in the forbidden forest again, only there was something distinctively ominous permeating the air.

It almost felt like a killer's intent.

The feeling was far from being enough to frighten or discourage him, but it wasn't something he could ignore either. Naruto opened his right hand and unsealed a tri-pronged kunai from within a seal in his palm, and hung it from his index finger.

The forest was incredibly dark and there was an underlining ominous sensation in the air. The crescent moon could only be seen in jagged slits through the massive and thick trees and what little light managed to make it through, seemed to be sapped by the branches and leaves themselves. Worse yet, it was too quiet. He knew that was a clear warning sign of a predator on the loose.

Or many.

Naruto felt a rush of adrenaline rush through him, and he couldn't fight off the smirk on his face as he rushed through the forest, jumping over thick tree roots, dodging massive stones. Soon, he took to the trees.

He felt free and unrestricted as he jumped from tree to tree, feeling the air rush by his hair and face. It was much-needed exercise after months of being restricted to classes and the castle. Unfortunately, Hagrid had yet to secure a safe room for them.

He came to a stop and perched himself on a bare branch and the silence persisted. It was still dark and while his eyesight had since adjusted, it was harder to see than he would have liked.

Naruto wasn't sure if it was a good or a bad thing but he'd yet to encounter a single creature or monster of which they warned about. Hagrid often spoke of giant spiders, equally large snakes, and over all extravagantly large versions of common animals and insects. Those being the ones he recognized by name.

While he was hoping for a fight, he couldn't completely begrudge the fact he hadn't. Naruto had already proven to himself he could sneak out of Hogwarts; the castle at least. As far as he surmised, Hogwarts had some sort of protective charm keeping it hidden from the rest of the world.

Naruto snapped to attention when a sudden breeze caressed his face, carrying with it the unmistakable yet subtly different, smell of blood.

He just so happened to be in a opening in the woods, giving a clear view of the crescent moon in the sky. He could use it to tell his direction for a short time before its position in the sky would change, and he would lose his sense of south. If he wanted to investigate, he would have to do it soon.

It was a forest, Naruto had to remind himself. Animals died in the forest all of the time. It was nature's law.

Finally, he decided a quick look wouldn't hurt. If nothing else, it was more time to stretch his legs before returning for the night.

He had Harriett's flying lessons to attend in the morning, after all.

After about only a few minutes of travel, he found the source of the smell and Naruto was perplexed at what he was seeing.

Near a small river, he found what looked to be a large white horse. It was dead, but even in death there was something almost ethereal about the poor creature. It had a long horn on its forehead, setting it apart from any horse he'd seen before.

It didn't look like any animal attack he'd encountered before. The horse-like creature had a large wound at the base of its neck so large he could see form his perch. Beneath it, staining its pristine white mane, was a dark puddle of blood.

"This forest isn't safe for a child."

Naruto tossed down a smoke pellet, jumping through the trees until he was at least four trees from where he once was, as well as higher near the top tree line. He stared at the direction of the voice and found yet another oddity.

It was a half horse, half man creature. It looked powerful in its stance, with long hair that shined in the low light of the forest, and fierce blue eyes. Eyes that were on him despite his attempt.

"I mean you no harm, child. I am merely here to caution you," the creature said.

With his kunai hidden behind his back, Naruto dropped down a few branches until he was closer to the intelligent creature. It appeared benevolent but he wasn't going to risk an assumption. Despite this, he was interested in what it had to say.

"What are you?" Naruto asked.

"I'm what you Wizards call a centaur. But my name is Firenze," the Centaur introduced himself with a solemn nod. "And you should not be here, child."

"Why's that?" Naruto asked.

"This forest is forbidden to students unless strictly accompanied by a professor. Beyond that, there is a great evil currently on the prowl," Firenze said, motioning towards the fallen creature. "That unicorn was not killed by a predator, for it has no natural predators within this forest."

"What evil are you talking about exactly?" Naruto asked, suddenly feeling the chill in the air turn eerie. "And what do you mean that horse has no natural predators? It's just a horse."

"No, not just a horse, a unicorn," Firenze said, his voice turning sad as he looked to the fallen creature. "Unicorns are pure creatures. Only the vilest of beings are willing to drink their blood, for the benefits are great, but the consequences are dire. Once unicorn blood touches your lips, you are cursed with a half-life. That is why I am warning you to return to your castle at once, child. You are strong, that I can see, but not enough to face such an evil."

Naruto dropped down to Firenze's level, revealing just how large he was. There was far more to the centaur than he first imagined. He seemed astute and articulate, and was somehow able to detect his strength without a proper display. While that was somewhat concerning, his main worry stemmed from the mention of a great evil.

"What evil are you talking about? And does this mean we're in danger at Hogwarts for how close the forest is to the school?"

"The Wizarding world as a whole is in danger. Now, I am under the impression that you are not native to such a world. So, tell me, child, have you heard of the one called Voldemort?" Firenze asked.

Naruto felt his stomach drop.

"Voldemort?" He repeated. "Are you saying he's alive?"

"I am afraid so. And he prowls these very grounds, for he is after something very important within those castle walls," Firenze said.

"Is anyone else aware of this?" Naruto asked. "Does Dumbledore know? What's he after?"

Before he could answer, both snapped their heads in the direction of distant but encroaching hoof beats.

"You must go now, child! My brethren will not be as reasonable as I, and if they find you, they may harm you and I cannot protect you in such a situation!" Firenze warned, motioning him away. "Go now and be careful, for nowhere is safe!"

Naruto offered Firenze a thankful nod for the important information he learned. He made his way out of the forest, moving with true haste, and a harrowing newfound knowledge.

He returned to his dorm with no further issues but he never found sleep that night. Naruto could think of nothing else but the fact that the monster that had taken so much from Harriett, was alive. There was no telling what he was doing around Hogwarts, or exactly what he wanted.

Firenze never did tell him what he wanted within Hogwarts and he couldn't help but wonder if it was Harriett herself. He wanted to know for sure if it was even true before telling her, but he wasn't about to wait until it was too late.

When Naruto arrived at the quidditch field. Harriett was already up in the air, shooting through the sky in maneuvers that would always worry him. Though he did flinch seeing her dive down very quickly, his mind was debating the decision he had come to the previous night.

He wanted to tell her of what he learned, but he wasn't sure how. Or if he even should considering all he had was the word of a centaur he met in a forest he shouldn't have been in the first place.

"Did you see that, Naruto?" Harriett asked with a flushed face and a dimpled smile. She was hovering before him on her new Nimbus Two Thousand broom, a surprising gift from Professor McGonagall of all people. Her breath was heavy from exhilaration.

Just when things were beginning to fall into a true sense of normality, Naruto begrudged. Harriett was the happiest he'd ever seen.

He couldn't worry her. At least not until he was sure there was something to worry about.

He just wasn't sure how he would know for certain.

"Awesome as usual!" Naruto praised. "Would it matter if I told you to be careful again?"

"I always am!" Harriett said before shooting off into the air once more.

With that, Naruto decided he would have to investigate the matter further.

The day had come and gone before Naruto realized.

He was having dinner with the Gryffindor, whom by then had grown accustomed to his presence around Harriett. While there were a few who didn't fancy him for his Home, they were a minority as most were more than welcoming to him.

Harriett was seated at his side, chatting animatedly with Parvati about her practice while Ron listened on in awe, adding his own commentary every so often.

"What's wrong?"

Naruto blinked and looked up from his steak to find Lavender Brown staring at him with concern. He hummed his acknowledgment but didn't answer the question.

"You've been awfully pensive today," Lavender said.

Harriett had formed something of an acquaintanceship, possibly even a friendship, with her dorm-mates. She spoke highly of them, stating that though they were gossip prone, they were kind to her and that immediately put them in his favor.

"Just thinking," Naruto muttered.

"Oh yeah?" Lavender said, leaning forward with her chin in her hand, she batted her eyelashes at him. "What about?"

"Ya'know, stuff," Naruto deflected.

"What kind of stuff?" Harriett asked beside him.

Naruto began to grow somewhat uncomfortable noticing the sheer concern coming from those around him. Girls and boys alike were staring at him closer than what he was both comfortable with and used to.

"Oh ya'know, classes and homework," Naruto lied.

"So, there's nothing else on your mind, maybe something you're forgetting?" Harriett asked.

Naruto wondered why she was staring at him so intently. For a brief moment he panicked, thinking maybe she had seen through his misdirection. Harriett often both surprised and reminded him of just how smart and insightful she could be at times.

"Not that I can think of," Naruto said. Suddenly a thought occurred to him and he became nervous for other reasons. "Wait, did we have any more weekly assignments due tomorrow other than for Professor McGonagall or Snape's classes?"

That earned a few snickers from those around and a saddened expression from Harriet.

"You really don't remember?" Harriett muttered. "I did."

Naruto glanced between her and those around him, who's attention remained on him.

"Uh, I honestly can't think of anything. Why are – "

"Surprise!"

Naruto heard a pair of feet approaching him before they actually reached him but he restrained himself from reacting as a pair of hands swiped his Wizard's hat and replaced it with a bright colored one with sparks shooting out of the tip.

"Happy birthday, Naruto!"

All at once, those surrounding him shouted.

Naruto was momentarily confused as he heard disjoined singing, clapping, and laughter surrounding him. In the blink of the eye, there was a cake on the table with his name on it in glowing orange lettering.

Then it hit him. It was his birthday, and he'd forgotten it.

Naruto turned to Harriett and though she was smiling at him, he could see the sadness plague her eyes as she sang along. He mouthed his apology to her before returning his attention to those singing for him and the smile on his face at that time was real.

Hagrid's boisterous singing him alerted him to the fact that he, along with Headmaster Dumbledore, and Professor Flitwick were all singing merrily along. Professor McGonagall even offered him a small smile and a nod.

Having friends; it felt nice, Naruto realized. For that dinner, he forgot about his worries and the name Voldemort.

After having a delicious cake and participating in laughs with the Gryffindor, Naruto pulled Harriett aside.

"I'm sorry I forgot my birthday," he began sheepishly.

"Why are you apologizing to me? It's your birthday you forgot," Harriett muttered, clearly unhappy with the matter.

"You're upset and it's because I forgot my birthday," Naruto said, implementing their rule to be more direct.

Though he felt like a hypocrite for what he was keeping from her.

"I'm not upset with you, or that you forgot your birthday. It makes me sad, and a little angry at the people from your home. They never celebrated your birthday, did they? You wouldn't have forgotten otherwise," Harriett said.

They celebrated October the tenth, but not for his birth. Instead of looking forward to that day, Naruto grew to fear it because the villager's wrath intensified that day for reasons he wouldn't understand until later on in life. His birthdays were amongst the few times in which actual violence was enacted against him.

Though it waned in the last few years as a result of the Sandaime Hokage's personal Anbu, he didn't find any reason in celebrating another year of isolation.

And that was yet another truth he kept to himself, weighing on his conscious. He knew the longer he kept the Kyuubi a secret from Harriett, the worse its reveal would hurt her.

"I won't forget anymore, I promise," Naruto said in lieu of anything else. He truly found it touching that she was getting angry in his stead.

"Well you'd better not! And to make sure you don't, I got you this," Harriett said, giving him a small box sloppily wrapped.

"You got me a present?" Naruto asked in surprise.

"You got me one," Harriett said, using her free hand to hold the necklace he gave her for her own birthday.

"Thank you," Naruto said and immediately tore away the brown wrapping paper, revealing a small black box. Within the black box was a beautiful raindrop amber pendant. He gently picked it up by the dark brown leather necklace, and was further amazed to find an Uzumaki swirl at the center. It was made of some sort of black crystalline substance, suspended in the center of the pendant itself.

"D-Do you like it?" Harriett asked nervously. "I had Hagrid help me – "

In his rushed emotion, Naruto kissed her on the cheek.

He'd done so on a few occasions, and while it was slightly embarrassing each time, and on both ends, it was a genuine gesture of his gratitude. However, in his excitement, he rushed forward just as she turned, resulting in his catching the very edge of her lips with his own.

Naruto nearly fell as he shot back, his entire face hot. Harriett herself was wide eyed and similarly flushed.

"Ah, sorry!" He almost shouted. "I didn't mean to!"

"It's okay," slowly, Harriett's face fell behind a curtain of her dark hair. "It was an accident. D-Don't worry about it."

"Yeah," Naruto said following a sheepishly awkward laugh. "Er, thanks again for the gift, Harriett. It's the best thing I ever got."

Naruto meant what he said and put on his gift. He looked down at the hanging pendant and was amazed at how beautiful it looked as it glinted in the flickering light of a nearby torch.

"How did you get this?" He finally asked after a passing moment of heavy silence.

"Well, I know you must miss your home, and I remembered your family crest, s-so I had Hagrid help me find someone to make it. I'm not sure how he did it, or who he went to, because I only gave him my best drawing of it, along with your favorite color, so I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out. I'm just happy you liked it," Harriett explained with a small smile.

Naruto thought of Konoha in that moment and for the first time in at least a month's time, he wondered if anyone would have surprised him with a birthday party, or if anyone would have even remembered. The Ichiraku's always did remember, as well as the Hokage, and as much as he cared for the former, it was becoming increasingly more difficult justifying ever leaving his new life, with new friends.

More importantly, Harriett needed him. And he would admit that he needed her too.

"It's the best gift ever! Thank you, Harriett," Naruto said, hugging her.

* * *

It took Harriett a few days to rid herself of the butterflies that stirred in her belly every time she saw Naruto after what little time they spent apart. Especially following their kiss, or partial kiss, she wasn't quite sure what to call it, and her opinion was ever changing.

It was a confusing feeling for certain, though not truly uncomfortable.

Thankfully, Naruto seemed to move past it and so had she. After all, in the three months since arriving at Hogwarts, things had gone better than she could have ever hoped.

Her quidditch training was going spectacularly and Naruto was ever supportive. He was, of course, anxious every time he saw her take to the skies, and is reactions were admittedly humorous when she performed particularly risky maneuvers. But he was beginning to relax and was very encouraging of her. In fact, he never missed a single one of her training sessions, no matter how early they began, or how late they ran; heedless of the changing weather.

Before she knew it, Harriett found herself feeling at home in Hogwarts. Between classes, quidditch training, and just spending time with Naruto and a few of her new friends, Harriett felt the days melding seamlessly into one another. Days became weeks, which turned to months, and she was finally beginning to understand the expression of time's dilation when one was having fun.

But that wasn't the case for everyone, Harriett was reminded as Hermione rushed by with tears in her eyes. She cast a look of disappointment at Ron, who's ears grew red at the look.

"What? It's not like what I said isn't true," he tried to defend himself.

Hermione had made an utter fool of him, which wasn't hard to do considering her intelligence and Ron's inattentive and wondering mind. He wasn't necessarily dumb, as his skills in chess proved, but he could be bullheaded and at times, downright rude.

He proved as much by badmouthing Hermione so close it might as well have been to her face.

"Is she going to be okay?" Neville asked nervously.

Hermione never forgave her or Naruto despite his now occasional attempts at mending mistakes. In fear of driving her further away with his persistence, he decided to give the girl her space and life simply continued. Somewhere along that time he managed to sway Neville back into his good graces by always standing up and protecting him against would be bullies.

This had the unintentional effect of drawing Neville closer to Naruto as a friend, and away from Hermione, who every liked to talk about and rarely was it ever in a favorable light.

Harriett couldn't shake the feeling that it was unfair she was having so much fun, and was making many friends, while Hermione remained alone. She knew it wasn't entirely on her, but she had definitely contributed to it with her selfishness.

"You okay?" Naruto asked as he slurped on a bowl of chicken noodle soup, of which he liked to complain was nowhere as good as ramen. Yet he ate it rather consistently all the same. "You've been quiet all day."

"It's just that…" Harriett trailed. The subject of Hermione had been a touchy one for Naruto because though he no longer pursued her friendship, the lingering stares of regret remained. "It's Hermione."

He set his bowl down to look at her, the final noodle disappearing between his pursed lips and suddenly the butterflies were back.

"What about Hermione?" Naruto asked quickly, seemingly taking notice of her absence as he looked down the Gryffindor table. "Is she okay?"

"Parvati and I found her crying in the girl's restroom earlier today," Lavender chimed in as she often did when in regards to Naruto.

"What? Why?" Naruto asked.

In her peripherals, Harriett saw Ron sink into his chair.

Naruto had garnered something of a reputation amongst the Gryffindor. He was one of the few Slytherin most would tolerate, but he was also something of a renegade in that he could be frightening to those who bullied others.

The complete antithesis of a Slytherin.

"A certain someone said something rather hurtful to her," Parvati said, casting a glance at Ron, who proceeded to sink further into his chair and behind a smiling jack-o'-lantern.

Naruto followed Parvati's accusatory gaze to find the obvious guilty party. He glared at Ron for a moment before sighing with a shake of his head.

"Did any of you girls at least check on her?" Naruto asked.

The butterflies in her belly turned into swarming bats at the question, very much like the ones currently swooping overhead.

"She… told us to go away," Lavender muttered.

Naruto looked at her for confirmation and she was never good at lying to him.

"Did you girls try to talk to her?" He asked, turning the question to Parvati, who for some reason, also had a hard time lying to Naruto.

She gave herself away by looking away.

"I hope she's okay," Naruto muttered.

Before Harriett could say anything, though what she wasn't sure, Professor Quirrell entered the Great Hall making a scene. He shrieked in between gasps and made for quite the sorry sight as he stumbled to the head table, nearly falling atop it.

"Troll in the dungeons!" He managed to gasp before promptly fainting.

"And that guy's supposed to be our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Naruto's voice was loud in the silence before the storm.

Headmaster Dumbledore directed the prefects to lead their respective Houses back to their dorms. Percy sprung into action, corralling the first year Gryffindors. Harriett held on to Naruto's hand as they were ushered away before a sudden thought occurred to her.

"Hermione," Naruto said the moment their eyes met. It was apparent he had come to the same conclusion.

"Maybe she's already at the dorms?" Harriett suggested.

"But if she's not?" Naruto countered. He leaned his head close to hers and began to whisper. "Follow Percy up to your House, I'll sneak away and make a clone to come back and stay with you. I'm going to go check the girl's restroom, just in case."

"No! I'm going with you," Harriett whispered back with a conviction that surprised even herself. "Besides, do you trust a clone to keep me safe from a troll, or yourself?"

"That's… not fair," Naruto muttered. "Using my own word against me."

"Who do you think I learned it from?" Harriett asked with a smirk.

Naruto eventually returned the smile with a relenting sigh.

"Fine, but whatever happens, you stay behind me," Naruto said.

They managed to sneak away from the group when the others rounded a corner. They hid away inside empty classrooms or whatever cover they could find to avoid rushing crowds of students and teachers. The further they got away from the dorms, the less students they encountered until the halls were all but empty.

Harriett was about to continue until she felt herself being held back by, Naruto, who held a finger to his lips before she could speak. He stood in before her and from behind, she could see his hands flashing through what she recognized to be hand-signs, his way of conjuring spells, or techniques.

He grabbed onto her hand and she almost gasped seeing both herself and Naruto grow transparent.

"Stay still," Naruto whispered slowly.

Not a moment later, Professor Snape stalked by, rushing off in some odd direction.

"I wonder where he's going?" Harriett asked once Naruto dropped the technique. "It didn't seem like he was going in the direction of the dorms."

"He wasn't heading towards where the troll's supposed to be, either," Naruto said before offering her a smile. "Great observation, though."

Harriett flustered.

"The girl's restroom should be just around the corner," she muttered.

Just as the door to the restroom came into view they heard frightened shrieks coming from within, followed by a roar.

"That's Hermione!" Naruto shouted as he crossed his fingers.

From beside her Harriett heard a pop and found herself being held by a clone of Naruto.

"Hey!"

"Sorry, but I need you to stay here!" Naruto said as he ran into the restroom.

"Naruto!" Harriett called out after him but he didn't stop.

Frustrated at being left behind, she looked over her shoulder to glare at the clone.

"I'm sorry, Harriett, but he's right. It's too dangerous for you in there," the clone cautioned.

"And I hope you'll forgive me," Harriett said, throwing her head back.

It was caught by his hand.

"Harriett what are you – "

She struck again, hammering her fist back into him.

With a groan he let go, holding himself between his legs, looking pained and betrayed.

"Why," the clone gasped in a high pitch as he fell to the ground, "there?"

He dispelled an instant later.

"Because you aren't leaving me behind!" Harriett shouted as she rushed towards the restroom, wand in hand, unsure of what she intended to do with it.

She opened the restroom and was immediately stricken by a terrible stench coming from the giant troll. It was large and grey with a dumb scary face and large floppy ears. It wore a tattered leather vest and matching loincloth. In its hand was a club shaped log.

Hermione was being held by another clone, who was ushered her over wordlessly and with pressing concern.

"Over here!" Naruto shouted, earning the troll's attention.

The troll roared and began to lumber towards him. Naruto charged forward as well, sliding beneath it's swinging club.

Harriett gasped and froze at just how close it came to striking Naruto. He continued his slide, slashing the troll's foot with a small blade along the back of its foot. The troll roared in pain and fell to one knee.

Naruto continued his slide until he reached the back wall and proceeded to run up it and then on the ceiling. He briefly glanced over to her, his concentration breaking into a frown.

That's when Harriett saw it again. His eyes were a glowing red, pupils narrowed to slits.

"Get her!" He shouted, likely to his clone, before shooting down onto troll, using his momentum, he brought the giant creature's head face first into the floor, kicking up broken tile and dust.

Harriett ignored the clone who was pulling her back, shaking away his hand from covering her eyes as she witnessed what happened next.

Naruto wasn't done.

The troll groaned as Naruto lifted it from the floor as high as he could given his own height and the giant's stature. He was holding it up by the chin with his left hand, and in his right a glowing red ball with streaks of dark blue spinning violently within.

It was a Rasengan, the technique Naruto had warned her never to touch. But it was a different color and for the first time, Harriett felt its danger.

Naruto pressed the glowing red ball into the troll's chest, directly into where its heart should have been. The troll roared a final, painful roar, before almost immediately falling limp. He dropped it where a pool of dark purple, almost black blood began to quickly pool.

"That was disappointing," Naruto muttered quietly to himself.

"Naruto?" Harriett called to him.

She saw him take a deep breath before turning to her and found his eyes had returned to that warm shade of blue that was currently regarding her with concern.

"What are you doing in here? Wait, did you really hit my clone in the – "

"Naruto!"

Hermione rushed by her to Naruto, who caught her. Harriett looked back to the clone, who merely shrugged his shoulders before exploding into a cloud of smoke, disappearing.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Harriett was still reeling from what she saw. Not only did she witness her friend in action, killing a troll no less, but his eyes were in fact red. She had not been seeing things back at the zoo.

"Come on, Harriett. We need to get out of here," Naruto said, motioning her with his head as he held Hermione, who continued to cry into his robes.

She followed after her friend and Harriett felt absolutely no fear this time; only curiosity. She wondered why his eyes turned such an ominous color, and why he hadn't said anything about it.

Did he even know? Harriett wondered.

They stopped at a turret near the Gryffindor dorms where Naruto finally sat Hermione down, taking a seat beside her.

"You're not hurt, are you?" Naruto asked.

Hermione sniffled and wiped her runny nose on her robe. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying and her hair was messy; more so than usual, but otherwise she seemed fine and relieved.

"No, I'm not, thanks to you, Naruto," Hermione said meekly. "Thank you for saving me."

"Of course," Naruto said, patting the girl's leg with a smile. "I'm here for you, Hermione. I know you don't like me, but I couldn't let anything happen to you."

"That's not true," Hermione muttered.

"Look, Hermione," Naruto began sadly. "I know I said some things I shouldn't have, but I just wanted to say that I'm really sorry."

"No, I meant it's not true that I don't like you," Hermione admitted, hiding behind the tangled mess of her hair. "I was just being stubborn. I'm the one who should be apologizing."

Harriett was observing their interaction closely and wondered what she was ever thinking when she requested what she had of Naruto.

"So," Naruto elongated the single word unsurely, "does that mean you forgive me?"

"Only if you forgive me," Hermione said.

"Considering I have nothing to forgive," Naruto began, smiling and opening his arms for a hug. "I think we should put all of that behind us. Friends?"

"I would like that," Hermione agreed in a low voice, accepting the gesture.

Harriett felt a smile pull at her face at the sight and chose to dutifully ignore the weight in her chest.

"I'd also like to say that I'm sorry," Harriett said as she took a seat on Hermione's free side. "I'm the one who asked him not to be your friend."

"Harriett?" Naruto muttered, seemingly confused at her admittance.

"I figured that out pretty quick," Hermione said cautiously. "And though I don't think it was fair of you… I forgive you."

"I understand, and thank you," Harriett said.

"Then we're all set!" Naruto announced cheerfully. Naruto announced cheerfully and moved to sit between the two, throwing an arm over both their shoulders. "We're all friends now!"

Harriett smiled at his infectious elation.

She decided she would ask him about what he saw later when they were alone.

"There is one thing," Hermione began, her cheeks red as she looked to Naruto.

"Yeah?" Naruto asked.

"How did you make a copy of yourself? And how did you defeat that troll? How are you so strong?" Hermione asked curiously.

Naruto's face seemed to lose color.

"Yeah, I, uh, I didn't really think that one through, did I?" Naruto looked sheepish.

"I saw how you… well, how you killed the troll! I also saw how you saved Neville, and how you've been able to restrain and even stop older, and much bigger students than yourself. Are you perhaps using some sort of augmenting spell? A potion, perhaps? Or is it all part of your family magic? Oh, and why were your eyes red earlier?" Hermione asked, shooting off questions at an accelerating pace and with genuine curiosity.

Naruto's face fell into a flat default, his eyes finding Harriett's.

"Were my eyes red?" He asked.

"Well, yes, they were," Harriett agreed reluctantly and with concern at his sudden change in demeanor.

He seemed nervous at the mentions of his strength, but the unrest he displayed when speaking of his red eyes was something she hadn't missed.

"I'll explain everything tomorrow, when we have more time," Naruto said, abruptly standing to his feet. He moved out from between them and regarded them both. "And more privacy."

"Naruto?" Hermione questioned.

"Come on, I'll walk you two back to your House," Naruto said.

* * *

Hermione followed quietly after Naruto and Harriett as he led them across a large field early the next morning.

She didn't know if it was the chill in the air or her nerves but Hermione found herself shivering slightly. Naruto had come early for them. He said he had secured a private room for them to speak, and after that, he and Harriett had gotten into something of a tizzy as they whispered to one another about something.

Hermione had a relatively good idea of what that something was. Naruto was different in ways she couldn't quite place. He was stronger and faster than any one person should have been. It could have been magic, and it likely was, but there were too many instances in which he exuded such abilities without the use of his wand.

It could have also been potions, but that didn't make much sense either. Naruto wasn't a terrible student by any means, but he was far from the best in Professor Snape's Potions class. And it wasn't as if he could purchase any potions, as first years weren't allowed off campus.

Then there was the fact he killed a troll with his bare hands!

No matter what she theorized, Hermione couldn't make sense of the enigma that was Naruto Uzumaki.

"Here we are!" Naruto announced with a grin.

Hermione blinked away her thoughts to see they were now standing before a rather modest hut with a steady stream of smoke billowing out from the chimney. Outside she could hear the clucks of nearby hens, as well as other idle crunches of other animals.

"Hagrid's hut? What are we doing here?" Hermione asked.

"He's going to let us use his hut to talk in privacy," Naruto explained as he knocked on the door.

Before Hermione could say anything in response, there were a few resounding dog barks to preface the opening of the door. She gasped when, much like the first time, Naruto was attacked by a large dog. Though logically she knew that wasn't the case, it was no less concerning to see the large canine looming over him.

"Naruto!" She called out frantically.

"He's fine," Harriett said with a giggle. "It happens almost every time we visit."

Hermione couldn't quash the feeling of jealousy and spite towards Harriett for all the time lost with Naruto. Feelings she decided to keep to herself knowing Harriett's standing with him was much higher than her own. It was a battle she wasn't in any standing to win.

"I wouldn't know."

But she couldn't help herself. Hermione almost found satisfaction in the guilty look which crossed Harriett's face at her words.

"Back, Fang!" A voice boomed from within the hut. Hagrid lumbered out of his hut a moment later, grabbing the massive dog by the scruff and pulled it away easily. "Sorry 'bout tha', Na-rue-to! Fang's always 'appy to see ya!"

"I noticed," Naruto commented dryly as he looked up at the two girls, his face wet with slobber and his hands raised. "Girls."

Hermione grabbed one of his hands whilst Harriett took hold of the other and they both pulled him to his feet. Though she noted that they both had to use both hands and a fair amount of strength to do so as he weighed far more than she was expecting.

"Hut's all yer's!" Hagrid announced with a smile, motioning them inside with a large arm. "I've gotta get some work done this mornin'! I'll leave ya to it, but remember, no this and tha'!"

Hermione was confused as to what the man was referring to.

"None of that," Naruto agreed with a blush and a brief glance in Harriett's direction. "We're just going to talk. I promise."

"Well, I'll leave ya to it then!" Hagrid said before nodding at Harriett and herself. "Mornin' Harriett. Hermione, it's good ta see ya again."

"Bye, Hagrid!" Harriett waved after him.

"Goodbye," Hermione waved at him shyly.

She watched the giant bound off in the direction of the castle with a pitchfork over his shoulder and a large burlap sack in his hand. Fang followed lazily after him.

"Alright then, let's get started," Naruto said.

Hermione sat on the rugged sofa near Harriett, watching as Naruto strode to every wall of the small hut, placing what looked like small tags of paper. After doing so, he began to pace back and forth with his hands in the pockets of his pants.

She was curious as to what he had done with the paper, but decided to wait for him to speak first. They had just rekindled their friendship, so she was trying her best to refrain from possibly annoying him.

"This was your idea," Harriett said after a stretch of silence.

"I know, I know, it's just, it isn't easy, ya'know," Naruto said.

"What is going on?" Hermione asked. "Are you going to tell me something?"

"I am, but first, I need you to promise me you won't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you," Naruto said.

"I won't tell anyone," Hermione agreed, leaning forward in her seat with genuine curiosity.

"Promise," Harriett reiterated.

Hermione glanced at her with what she hoped wasn't visible annoyance.

"I promise," she said, returning her attention to Naruto. "I won't say anything, I promise."

"Okay then, how should I begin?" Naruto muttered to himself. "I've been practicing magic, a different kind of magic, from a young age."

"A different kind of magic?" Hermione repeated in confusion. "I wasn't aware there were different types of magic. Or are you perhaps referring to the different studies? While potions aren't magic in the typical sense, it's still magic."

"I think so?" Naruto muttered uncertainly.

"You think so?" Hermione pressed.

"I guess you can call it magic, I just use it differently," Naruto said.

"Different how?" Hermione asked.

"Different in how I channel it. Where most use a wand, I don't really have to," Naruto said before crossing his fingers in a cross. "Like this."

Hermione gasped when in a puff of smoke, there was another Naruto waving at her.

"I… but where… how did… without a wand?" Hermione stuttered out.

When he rescued her, she had been hiding in the stall, so she hadn't seen how he had created a clone of himself. She assumed it a spell. He did say he had been practicing magic from a young age. She never once imagined he could use wandless magic.

"I call it a shadow clone. I have a few other… spells that I can conjure using wandless magic," Naruto said.

"That is amazing!" Hermione exclaimed as she approached the clone to inspect him. She curiously pinched the clone's whiskered cheek and was finally able to confirm how they felt. His cheeks were soft while his whiskers were pleasantly coarse. "Why would you ever keep such accomplishments a secret?"

"Because I don't know how others would react to my abilities if they knew about them," Naruto said as he walked up behind his blushing clone. The look-alike seemed nervous as he glanced at the original from over his shoulder.

"Wait, boss, not ag – "

Hermione gasped once again as the clone disappeared just as it he had arrived, leaving Naruto standing behind it with an outstretched fist.

"Yeah, they disappear after about one solid hit," Naruto said, shooting Harriett a pointed look.

Harriett seemed flustered and failed to meet his eyes.

"I said I was sorry," Harriett muttered.

"Did you?" Naruto asked.

Harriett's only response was a huff.

"Anyways," Naruto continued. "My father's been teaching me how to use my magic this way and it's not something we want anyone to find out about."

"I can't say I fully understand considering just how amazing this is," Hermione began ponderously. "But I'll respect your wishes. Do you think you can teach others to use this kind of magic?"

"In exchange for you not to say anything?" Naruto trailed nervously.

"Oh of course not!" Hermione frowned, feeling offended at the assumption. "I've already promised I wouldn't say anything! Why would you assume that?"

"Sorry, it's just that, this is kind of a big secret of mine. I'm not exaggerating when I say I need this to stay between us," Naruto explained.

"And I've already said I wouldn't say anything," Hermione huffed.

"And I believe you," Naruto said, sounding sheepishly apologetic. He clapped his hands with a renewed smile. "Then I guess class is in session!"

"What?" Harriett seemed confused.

"You said you wanted to learn how to do some of the things I can do, right?" Naruto said, approaching to kneel before her. "I think it's time I taught you a few things."

"But… " Harriett briefly glanced at Hermione before leaning forward to whisper something in his ear.

"It's fine. I planned on teaching you what I could anyway and what better time than now? I figured it wouldn't hurt if she joined us. That is if you two want to learn?"

"Of course!" Hermione quickly agreed.

Her inner scholar was teeming to learn new forms of magic, while Hermione herself wanted to spend more time with Naruto. She was being presented the best of both worlds.

"I would like that, yes," Harriett agreed.

"Great!" Naruto said, standing again until he was between them both. "Just know that in my training, I'm not going to go easy on either of you. Now, our first lesson will be… magic control?"

Hermione wondered why he sounded so uncertain when he said it, and as to exactly what magic control was to begin with, but she was no less enthused to learn. Added to that, she still had many questions; the most important being his red eyes.

But Hermione decided that could wait. After all, she had plenty of time now that they were friends again.

* * *

 **Don't have much to say. Hope you guys all enjoy. Also, shout out to Elchabon for the well wishes.**

 **Edited on 12/29/2019 because my dumb ass forgot that Hermione already met Hagrid. It's kind of hard to keep track of every detail considering I've already written over 100k words.**


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